Youth
by sharky-clarky
Summary: "Well if you're in love, then you are the lucky one" she said, placing a hand over where his were clasped atop the bar. He looked up at their contact, his blue eyes meeting hers "'Cause most of us are bitter over someone" Based off the song Youth by Daughter. A story of marriage, family and moving away from the past.
1. The Perfect Start

_"Destroy the middle, it's a waste of time._  
><em> From the perfect start to the finish line."<em>

_Daughter, Youth_

* * *

><p>Whenever somebody asked about Hermione Granger, the answers were often the same, she was the brightest witch of her age, she was part of the golden trio, she was a war hero. But whenever someone asked the Weasley's, their response was different.<p>

'She is a part of our family' one would say, 'She's as good as one of my own' would say another, 'She is the love of my life' said another, but the point still stood, Hermione Granger was as much a part of the Weasley family as their own children were and that would never change, at least they hoped it wouldn't.

May 2nd 1998 marked a significant day for many reasons. Some saw it as the day Lord Voldemort was finally vanquished, the day that the boy who lived triumphed. But the Weasley's saw it as the day their already significantly large family became even larger. That was the day that Hermione Granger finally admitted her feelings to the youngest Weasley son, Ronald Weasley, in the room of requirement, sealing the confession with a kiss, one that was long awaited by many, envied by one.

One year later, the 6th of June 1999 marked the day that Hermione Granger finally became Hermione Weasley.

It was a sunny day, birds tweeting in the trees, butterflies flittering from flower to vividly coloured flower around the strange, jenga towered house that was The Burrow. The sun blazed down on the garden around The Burrow, a large, white marquee, open on all sides took up the majority of the flower covered grass. Beautiful red carpets led from the house to the marquee, dozens and dozens of guests milling around, some talking, some sitting, but whatever they were going, their eyes were cast towards the centre point of the tent.

This was where the couple danced alone. The man, a tall and gangly fellow with fiery red hair, blue eyes and freckles wore a tidy black suit, a blue waist coat beneath the black jacket, a blue bow tie already undone hanging around his throat, a white rose bud peeping from his breast pocket.

In his arms was a beautiful young woman, the same age as he was, no older than nineteen. Her usually crazed brown hair was tamed into a delicate up-do, white ribbon weaving through the masterpiece, small curls escaping the binds and twirling around her soft, pale face. Her dark eyes were shining with adoration as she stared at the man who held her, the soft, wispy skirts of her white dress fanning out around her ankles as he spun her with what she knew was practised skill, Ron, after all, was no dancer. A ring glinted beautifully on her finger, a ribbon of white silk wrapped around her left forearm, covering the horrific slashes of war she bore on her skin.

Her pale face was young and baron of any makeup, keeping her looking youthful despite the weight she carried in her eyes. They were happy, and that was all that mattered, and very soon their happiness would only grow, for Hermione had a wedding present for her husband, one he was never to forget.

Before long, others began to join the mix. A tall, skinny, balding man wearing patched up dress robes strolled onto the floor, a short, podgy woman wearing an alarming yellow dress on his arm. Next was a beautiful blonde woman, who held the hand of a handsome man with his Weasley red hair in a short ponytail, they were a couple who had married the year before and were still going strong. The floor was soon filled with red headed men and women, some danced with relatives, others with lovers.

Charlie Weasley, who was wearing nothing more than an un-tucked white shirt with a loose red tie and suit trousers, stood to the side of the marquee, swaying slightly to the rhythm with a little boy perched on his hip. The boy wore a tiny black suit that only managed to accentuate his turquoise blue hair as he smiled, poking the burns on Charlie's neck. Edward (or Teddy) had been the son of Nymphadora and Remus Lupin, two amazing, brave hero's to have fallen in the battle of Hogwarts, leaving behind their only son. Teddy had the been adopted by Harry Potter, his Godfather, much like how Harry's own Godfather would have adopted him had the time arose.

Hermione soon spied her best friends sitting to one side of the dance floor, neither of them intending to dance just yet. They were sat cosily at a table near the centre of the room, a scruffily black haired man the same age as Hermione and a sleek, fiery red haired girl of seventeen, both of which were currently smiling sweetly, their heads bowed over the bundle in Ginny's arms.

Harry Potter was usually a reckless boy, especially during his school years, he very often dove into situations without thinking them over very much, and this was a prime example. Although a silver ring glinted on Ginny's hand, it didn't mean Harry was now responsible. On the contrary, James Sirius Potter had been born only four months prior to this very event, a beautiful accident that none of the Weasley's would ever forget.

The sun continued to blaze, the party alive with the hustle and bustle of people, but just like everything else, it soon had to end. The beautiful day soon fell to dusk, which was quickly followed by darkness as the fairy lights surrounding the gardens blared to life. And with that moment, a new era began, the Granger-Weasley marriage was to be the beginning of many, the Weasley family was growing more and more every day, little James Potter and the little boy or girl that was still waiting to be born was proof of that. So as the party dimmed and the dawn of a new day began, the Weasley's knew that they had finally found peace at last

* * *

><p>January 29th 2000, another day to add to the Weasley's calendar, for this was the day another life was brought into the world.<p>

It had started out a day like any others had been. Harry and Ron had left early to go to work with their father, Arthur, at the ministry, the two of them having joined training for the Aurors. This left the women at home. Ginny had stayed in bed past noon, the way she often did getting up only to see to her beautiful baby boy, James, who was soon coming up to his first birthday and her eldest son, Teddy. Hermione was still a morning bird, the way she'd always been.

She'd awake at half past six in the morning and venture downstairs (an action that was becoming increasingly difficult in her current state) and she'd join Mrs Weasley in the kitchen to help make breakfast for all three five of them.

Today the three women had eaten breakfast and receded into the living room by the fire where Ginny was sitting, James crawling gleefully along the floor and Teddy changing his hair colour every time he sneezed. He had developed a slight cold. Hermione arrived with her back bent as she tried to walk comfortably with her overly large stomach, and sat next to Ginny on the sofa, it was then that they had been greeted by quite a shock.

Not two minutes after she'd sat down, Hermione had turned very red in the face. Molly of course noticed immediately, grabbing hold of Hermione's hand, asking over and over again if she was alright.

"It's coming" Hermione replied, her face screwing up slightly at the pain "Oh, Merlin! It's coming" she said.

"We have to get her to St. Mungo's!" Ginny said, jumping to her feet and running straight up the stairs, no doubt going for Hermione's perfectly organised hospital bag, they had, after all, been planning for this day for the past two weeks when the baby was due to arrive.

Ginny arrived back downstairs a few seconds later, her ponytail in disarray as she grabbed five coats from the porch, wrapping one around herself and one around James before helping Hermione into hers, watching as the older witch's face screwed up once more in pain.

"Ginny, I'll take her ahead; you follow with the bag and the boys." Her mother said, already heading a panting Hermione towards the fireplace. Ginny nodded, slipping her arms through the straps and wrapping Teddy in his orange coat before picking up her little boy from the floor, balancing him on her hip. James looked up at her with his curious brown eyes, his thumb in his mouth.

Mrs Weasley stepped into the fireplace, her hand gripping Hermione's so tight the knuckles were turning white as she grabbed a handful of floo powder.

"Oh!" she said suddenly, her straight forward, all-business like tone in her voice "Send a patronus to Ron and harry!" she said before throwing the powder into the flames shouting 'ST Mungos!' as the emerald flames erupted around the two women, swallowing them up.

Ginny reached into her pocket, pulling out her wand before swishing it through the air.

"Expecto Patronum!" she said, relaying the message to the white horse that then galloped out of the window, James giggling furiously as it went, his chubby hands reaching and grabbing for the patronus as it disappeared.

"Come on, Teddy" Ginny said, holding her spare hand out for the little boy who was currently sporting hair the same orange as his coat. He stood up slowly, using his hands for leverage, before plodding over to Ginny, grabbing her free hand in his strangely sticky hands. "Time to go" And with that, she walked into the fireplace, grabbing a handful of powder. "Close your eyes, Teddy, like we practised" she said and Teddy obeyed. "St Mungo's" she shouted, throwing the powder into the grate, disappearing in a swirling vortex of emerald fire and soot.

She arrived at St Mungo's still clutching both of the little boys and covered in soot. Doing her best not to over balance, she stepped out of the grate into the pristine fireplace room of the hospital. She followed the signs to where Hermione must have been taken and was relieved to see Harry waiting for her there, his body slumped in the waiting room chairs.

'Hawwy!" Teddy shouted, letting go of Ginny's hand and bounding clumsily towards the boy who lived. Harry stood immediately, walking to meet Teddy half way.

"Hey there, Teddy!" He said, grabbing Teddy and hoisting onto his hip, the same way Ginny held James. "You're all covered in soot" Harry said, laughing as he ruffled Teddy's now black hair. Teddy sneezed, his hair turning bubblegum pink, the one colour that pained Ginny to see. Bubblegum pink was the colour Tonk's hair always was, it was what set her apart; to see her son wearing the same colour was heart breaking.

Clearly Harry felt the same since he looked over at Ginny sadly before giving her a welcoming smile.

"They're in room seven, Ron just went in" Harry said, pointing with a free hand to a white hallway with doors on either side. "You can leave the boys with me" he said, kissing her quickly on the cheek. "Arthur and the others will be here soon" he said with a smile, his black hair falling slightly into his green eyes.

"Thank you" Ginny said hurriedly, giving harry a quick kiss. She handed James over so Harry held one boy in each arm, Teddy was quite distractedly tracing his finger along the length of Harry's scar. Harry smiled back at her, remembering all too clearly how crazed Hermione had been when Ginny had gone into labour; it was quite a funny image actually.

Ginny hurried off, disappearing behind one of the white doors, the number seven printed on the front.

Three hours and several fractured fingers later, Ginny emerged from the room. Her hair tied back in a long ponytail, her face slightly flushed as she greeted the group of red-heads and their partners, a wide smile on her face.

"You can come and see her now, she's had a baby girl" she said, beckoning forward to the others. Harry dashed through first, followed by Fleur who held James in her arms as Bill followed with Teddy (the two of them were soon going to be having a baby of their own). Next followed Mr Weasley who wore an excited smile and Percy, who looked as neat and serious as ever. The last through were the twins, one looking slightly more anxious than the other, as they edged towards the door, pushing through to reveal the scene beyond.

Inside, Hermione lay on the hospital bed propped up by three pillows, Ron stood by her side, a protective hand on her shoulder. Hermione's hair had fallen from its bun, straggling curls clinging to her red face and neck with sweat, but she was smiling. A medi-witch stood at the far side of the room, writing things down on a clipboard, but she went completely unnoticed as every Weasley gazed longing at the small, white bundle in Hermione's arms.

" 'Ermione" Fleur said, having passed James back to his mother, Her English had improved but her accent would never change, she was too proud to lose her heritage. "She eez beautiful" she said, smiling wondrously at the small bundle in the younger witches arm as she absently rubbed circles on her own baby bump. "What a wonderful leetle girl" she said.

"Thank you, Fleur" Ron said, clearly seeing Hermione was far too tired to respond.

"Has she got a name yet 'Mione" Bill said, trying very hard to restrain a struggling Teddy who was working very hard to clamber onto Hermione's lap. Finally Bill gave up, letting the little boy manoeuvre his way across Hermione's legs until Ron finally picked him up, holding him so he could look at the new born baby.

"Teddy" Ron said, his eyes slightly red, his hand bandaged as he gazed at the baby girl "Everyone else. This is Rose" there was a chorus of 'ooo's' and 'awww's' from the room filled with people, and Hermione could see only one person with dry eyes, even Percy had shed a tear over the baby girl.

"Rose Jean Wesaley" Ron echoed "After Hermione's mum" there were nods of affirmation as they all looked longingly at the baby girl.

"Mrs Weasley" Hermione said, looking up at the portly woman with the greying, red hair who stood by her side, mopping her tears with a once-white handkerchief. "Would you like to?" Hermione said, holding the baby slightly towards the mother of this rather large family.

Molly Weasley bounced forwards excitedly, thrilled as she gently took the tiny bundle of blankets from Hermione's arms. Suddenly everyone crowded Mrs Weasley, each of them desperate for a glimpse of the baby girl she held so close to her.

Without warning, Rose's eye's opened; blinking in the sunlight of the hospital room and gazing up at Mrs Weasley's crying face. She smiled with happiness as she saw the bright, sapphire blue of Ron's eyes looking back at her.

"Ron" George said, a slight laugh in his voice "the poor things got your eyes" everyone joined in the laugh, Ron being far too overjoyed by the perfect little girl to even take offence.

"But I bet she's got her mothers brains" he said, kissing Hermione lightly on the forehead, making her smile as she shut her eyes.

"Give us a go" Fred said, gaining a maternal smile from his mother and a shocked glance from both his twin and his sister. He hadn't said a word as he entered the room and truth be told, he hadn't wanted to come in the first place, George had needed to talk him into it. Molly nodded passing the bundle over to Fred who held her like she was the most precious thing in the world, an air of love and caution to all his movements.

He smiled down at the baby, her Weasley blue eyes gazing back at him, wide and curious as she looked up at the different faces. Fred looked down at her, how her tiny face was so like Hermione's already, her eyes just like Ron's, and despite how much it pained him to see Hermione with someone else, he couldn't help but thank his prat of a little brother for bringing this stunning baby girl into the world.

"You're going to be great" he said, smiling down at her as tears slipped through his eyes, some of happiness, some from something else. "Rose Weasley" And Hermione closed her tired brown eyes, resting her head back against the pillows, feeling Ron plant another kiss on her forehead, all the while knowing that Fred was right.

* * *

><p>Looking after a baby proved to be hard work. After the week that Mrs Weasley insisted Hermione and Rose stay at the burrow, just while her body adjusted to the changes, Hermione and Ron finally moved into their new house.<p>

It was a small, quiet cottage in the country, with white walls and wooden window boxes, with a picket fence and a tree in the front garden. It was Hermione's dream home. The bottom floor consisted of a kitchen, living room and a small dinning room that led out into the small, yet beautiful back garden. The top floor contained three bedrooms and a bathroom, one room for Ron and Hermione, a nursery for little Rose, and a spare room, should any of the Weasley's come to stay.

Almost a year later and everything was perfect. Hermione would spend her day's looking after Rose - who would very soon be turning one - not quite ready to return to work, and with Ron's income it wasn't necessary. He and Harry had both been accepted as Aurors and were earning a fair pay each, enough to keep their little family going at least.

Molly would sometimes pop round, offering Hermione cooking advice and helping her care for Rose, a beautiful little girl who was quickly developing a mass of red hair atop her small head. Ginny came round often too, bringing little James and Teddy with her to visit their little cousin sometimes Fleur would join them, bringing her own daughter with her.

At night, after she been fed and bathed, Rose would be put down into her cradle, the blankets covering her tiny body as Hermione read to her from a very old, much frayed book of fairytales; stories Rose would learn to love once she was old enough to understand them.

Every Sunday, Ron and Hermione would take Rose to The Burrow for Molly's weekly lunch outside in the garden. Ginny and Harry would bring their boys, Teddy who had just turned three, James who was two and Ginny who was currently pregnant with yet another boy. Bill and Fleur would bring along their daughter who had been born three months after Rose, a beautiful baby girl with soft, silvery blonde hair and big blue eyes.

It wasn't until after Rose's first birthday that the arguing started.

Ron would return home later than usual, so swamped with work from the amount of deatheaters still lose in the world. He'd trudge through the house, demanding something or just being rude to Hermione, who'd then scold him for his tone and constantly remind him that Rose was sleeping upstairs. The arguments started small, Ron complaining about how Hermione ran the house, about how she should have food on the table for him when he returned home, an argument Hermione often countered with 'That's if you ever were home'. That was when Ron would start on about how Hermione didn't even have a paying job, how she just stayed at home, spending day after day reading or doing other mindless nonsense.

After a few hours of shouting and swearing, Ron would finally lose it. He'd storm out of the house, slamming doors and punching walls in his wake, apparating the second he'd reached the front door.

Hermione tried not to indulge herself in it, saying that every marriage had its rough patches, it was only natural. It was only after an exceedingly bad argument, where by Ron had called her the most rude names of all that Hermione finally told someone of her difficulties.

Ginny arrived the next day on her own, she comforted Hermione as best she could, telling her that it was the stress of work, that Harry had also been over tired.

"But does Harry call you these things" Hermione would say with teary eyes, a question Ginny felt too guilty to answer, because Harry would never call her such things, he loved her too much. Soon it reached the point that others of the Weasley's were stopping by when Ron was out, making sure Hermione was okay, that she was coping with the baby and the arguments, the most common of these visitors was Fred.

He was kinder than Hermione had ever realised, more than just a prankster. He was considerate and compassionate far beyond what Hermione would give him credit for. He would stop by just after Ron left for work, sometimes he'd make her breakfast, just to make sure she was eating how she should, he'd see to Rose when she cried, sometimes taking her out into the garden and playing games with her in the grass while Hermione got the sleep she deserved. Fred Weasley was her guardian angel.

It happened slowly, over the course of months, during which time Ron had taken to drinking, returning during the early hours of the morning shouting and swearing, sometimes he woke Rose, sometimes it was only Hermione that heard his war upon the house and anything that happened to look at him the wrong way. It was around this time that Hermione needed Fred the most, when she'd send him a patronus late at night, only for him to apparate outside her door half an hour later. He'd comfort her until she was all cried out, telling her how wonderful she truly was, and how foolish Ron was if he couldn't see her brilliance. It was around this time that Hermione realised her life wasn't supposed to go this way. It was around this time that Hermione realised she was married to the wrong Weasley.

Perhaps it was her imagination, perhaps she was going mad from the stress of her marriage and the lack of sleep, but she was sure that the way Fred Weasley looked at her was the same way Ron should look at her, the way he never seemed to have looked at her.

After that, everything fell into place and made sense in her mind. She loved someone else, how could she stay in a marriage with a man when she was in love with his older brother, a brother who was possibly in love with her.

So one night, while Ron was no doubt out drinking, Hermione sat at the in the vanity table in their shared bedroom where she'd been sleeping alone, and wrapped in her dressing gown, by the light of her wand, she wrote a letter.

It started simple, just a simple greeting, idle chit chat in her mind, then it deepened. She wrote about the way her marriage had faltered, the flame flickering before it was almost dead, about how Ron wasn't right for her, how the way he treated her made her anger flare as her stomach plummeted. She wrote about Rose, of how Hermione could raise her baby girl in this environment, with her husband yelling all manners of abuse before slamming the door, disappearing for yet another night. The letter ended with a question, a simple question, one she needed desperately to be answered before any action was taken.

_Do you feel the way I do?_

She sat back, content with her work, signing the letter before folding it up, ready for it to be sent. It was then she heard the front door click shut. Frantic, and horrified at her own foolishness, Hermione stashed the letter in the bottom drawer of her vanity table, slamming it shut before making her self look as casual and ordinary as she could.

A few moments later, the door of her bedroom opened, and standing beyond the threshold was Ron. His face was tired and guilty, one arm held behind his back. His ginger hair was scruffy from his fingers running through it, his eyes exhausted and remorseful.

"Hermione" he said, looking at her with his sad blue eyes. "Do you remember when we were travelling, hunting the Horcruxes, and I tried to find you." Hermione nodded, crossing her arms protectively over her chest. "How I sat on that hill in the snow all day, waiting for just a glimpse of you?" She nodded again "I've kinda noticed that, well recently I've been, I've been a prat, a bloody stupid prat" Hermione nodded once again. "A bloody, stupid prat that doesn't deserve a wife like you."

"Ron-" she began, only for him to cut her off.

"No, Hermione" he said defiantly, making her eyebrow raise curiously "I don't want you making excuses for me. I've loved you for what I can only imagine to be ten years, ever since I lost you to that bloody great snake" She couldn't help but smile at the way he was speaking. It had been so long since she'd seen this Ron, the Ron that she'd fallen in love with. "I didn't know it then, but I did know that I couldn't ever lose you again. I've made mistakes, Hermione, I know I have, but I cant lose you, I've loved you since I was twelve years old, and I'll love you until I'm a hundred and twelve!" he exclaimed boldly, but then he shied away slightly, looking towards the floor as he removed his hands from behind his back, holding out a large bouquet of flowers towards Hermione. They were pink and white roses, the flowers she'd had for her wedding. "That's if you'll let me"

"Oh, Ronald" she said, throwing herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, allowing him just enough time to drop the flowers on the bed as he wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her hair. "Of course I will, I love you too!" And she did, of course she loved him. Ron was her husband, and she would love him until she died, how she could possibly think otherwise, it was insanity, a moment of madness on her part.

Their embrace was broken by the shrill cries of an infant, making Hermione jump back, ready to see to the one year old girl.

"I'll get her" Ron said, a new found happiness glittering in his eyes as he held her by the shoulders, stopping her from moving. "You get good nights sleep, you deserve it" he said, kissing her quickly before he disappeared out of the room with a flutter of un-kept ginger hair.

Filled with a new found hope that her marriage was saved and that she loved Ron, her husband, more than she could possibly love any one else, she climbed into the bed, waiting patiently for her husband to return, the letter in the drawer, completely forgotten, and everything became perfect once again.

But perfection could only last for so long.

A month later, in late March, Hermione returned home after going out for lunch with Ginny, it was a simple lunch at a café in Diagon alley, Molly had looked after the children with Fleur and Mr Weasley. It was late afternoon, the sky slowly beginning to pink with the on coming sunset. When Hermione opened her door she called out for Ron, knowing he finished work early today.

"Ron!" she shouted "Ron, I'm back" she didn't receive a reply. "Ginny's brining Rose by later, so I thought we could have dinner" she said hopefully, listening intently for a reply. Assuming he hadn't heard her, she checked the house. The kitchen was empty, as was the dinning room, so she preceded upstairs. All the lights were off in the house, making it hard to climb the stairs without tripping on the top landing.

Once she reached the upstairs hallway, she saw a slither of light peeping from beneath the bedroom door. Rolling her eyes, Hermione walked towards it, assuming Ron had merely fallen asleep, the way he did on the couch sometimes. Smiling to herself and the ways of her husband, Hermione opened the door.

He was sat at the foot of their bed, opposite the fireplace, his shoulders hunched and his back to her.

"Sorry I'm late back" She said lightly, pulling out her earrings "Me and Gin just lost track of time, I guess" she said, dropping them on the bedside table. "And then we ran into Padma and Parvarti, and you _know _what those two are like" she said rolling her eyes as she slipped off her shoes "It's a wonder how its been all these years and they still haven't changed" she continued, not noticing how he didn't respond as she placed her black converse back into the wardrobe, leaving her in socks. "And then we stopped by Flourish and Blotts" she said, as she unzipped her coat "And you know what I'm like once I'm in there" She pulled it off her shoulders, eyeing the back of Ron's head sceptically as she moved towards the vanity table, Ron was never quiet "You're being awfully quiet, Ron" she said, hanging the coat over the chair, then freezing. The top drawer of the vanity was open, and the letter she'd never sent, the one she hadn't even thought about since she'd written it was gone.

"It's true then" Ron said bitterly, still not looking at her. Figuring it was better to play dumb, Hermione silently shut the drawer, turning to Ron with a confused look.

"What's true?" she asked, hoping the crack in her voice didn't show.

"You know what!" he spat, standing up so quickly that Hermione started. He turned just as fast, the parchment gripped in his fist. "I decide to try and organise a nice night for us and decide to crack out some candles. So I thought I'd look through some drawers, she wont mind, I thought, but then I found it. What in the bloody hell is this!" he shouted, shaking his hand before her, the letter clutched in his fist.

"I-I don't know" Hermione said, her stomach plummeting as Ron's face darkened.

"Don't lie to me, Hermione!" he said "There's someone else, isn't there? Just like when we were hunting, you and Harry getting it on while I just spoilt your fun. Who knew what the two of you got up to when I left, you were probably thrilled to see the back of me!" he shouted again, Hermione's face was anguished.

"No - Ron - No, that's not true!" she shouted back, tears welling in her eyes.

"Is it Harry? Is that who the other guy is?"

"There is no other guy" Hermione said, trying desperately to keep her voice even, trying to instil some calm into this mayhem.

"Bullshit!" he spat "I've read the letter. 'Ron doesn't understand. He doesn't know how hard this is. He's not even trying, he's not the one for me' Is this ringing any bells?" he was shouting in her face now, his face and neck bright red with the rage that was filling him "Come on, Hermione. I know you wrote that letter. It's your fucking handwriting!"

"Yes I wrote it" she said, tears slipping from her eyes silently as she looked away from him. "But there isn't someone else, Ron, not anymore, I swear!" she pleaded, watching as his face screwed up, a tell tale sign he was about to explode.

"Not anymore?" he said angrily "Not. Anymore!" he was shouting again now, his anger reaching breaking point. "You always chose somebody else over me. First it was Krum, the Cormac. Even Harry fucking Potter, my best friend and now this other bloke" he said, throwing his arms in the air. "Did you enjoy it, Hermione? Was he good, Hermione?" he sneered, getting close to her face so she was backed against the door. She desperately wished she hadn't shut it now "Was he all that you expected? Was he better than me!"

"Stop it!" she shouted, shoving hard against his chest, making him stumble back a few feet. His face was shocked, but an angry sort of shocked, he looked almost horrified. "Now, I told you" she said, pointing at him, tears still falling from her eyes. "I told you that I loved you, and I do" Ron scoffed "And the mere idea, that you think I would cheat on you" she said, looking appalled.

"Don't turn this on me you slut! I've got fucking proof you have" He shouted at her, all shock gone form his face. "This is you who's done this, you and your stupid, whorish ways! Well you know what, Hermione" he said, grinding the words through his teeth. "I'm done, I am fucking done with you and with this house and with that fucking, little brat!"

"She is your daughter!" Hermione half screamed, horrified that Ron could say such a horrible thing.

"How do I know that?" he spat at her, and she froze. She hadn't imagined it, not only was Ron accusing her of cheating, but also about lying to him about his own daughter. "She could be the child of Draco Bloody Malfoy, and I wouldn't be any the wiser!"

"How dare you! Insult me by all means, accuse me of adultery, but if you ever, and repeat, ever, accuse me of lying to you about our daughter, then you are a far more despicable man than I ever thought possible of you, Ronald Weasley!" she shouted, breathing heavily, tears were no longer falling from her eyes as she glared at the man in front of her.

Ron's jaw was clenched, his face redder than Hermione had ever seen it.

"She is not my fucking child!" He shouted "you probably only married me to cover for the fact you were some stupid slut who got herself pregnant from someone who wasn't her boyfriend!" he shouted at her and she froze. "It's over. I'm sick of this, all of it. You and your obsessive needs, how you want to know where I am every minute, how you want us to be the 'perfect' family and I'm so done with your fucking cat!" he said, pointing to where Crookshanks was curled up on the pillow. "You're a slut, Hermione" he spat at her "A slut and a whore, and I want you out of this fucking house and you can take your bloody bastard child with you!" he shouted, his voice reaching it's crescendo. He paused for a second, breathing heavily as he looked at Hermione.

Her face was flushed, new tears falling down her cheeks as she cried silently.

"Ron, please" she said, reaching towards him, hoping it was a spur of the moment thing. Once her hand got within three inches of him, he backed away like her touch would burn him.

"You and the brat" he said bitterly. "Gone" and with that, he apparated, and Hermione didn't see him again.

* * *

><p>She didn't waste any time, she apparated immediately, stumbling slightly as she appeared outside the boundaries of the burrow.<p>

She could see a few specks of red in the garden still, their hair illuminated by the fireflies, and she could see Mrs Weasley in the kitchen, everyone seemed happy and blissfully ignorant. This answered her first question, Ron wasn't here.

She ran to the house, trying so hard to stop her sobs, but they choked out of her throat as she gasped in the cool evening air. Despite the fact she kept stumbling, and despite the fact she could hear people calling her name. Just as she reached the door, she felt two strong arms pull her backwards slightly and she felt herself come face to face with the second to last person she wanted to see.

"Hermione? Hermione, what's wrong?" Fred asked a hand on each of her shoulders. By now Mrs Weasley had heard the commotion and opened the back door, clearly confused as to why Hermione was on her doorstep at this hour and not at home with her husband and beautiful daughter. "Hermione?"

"It's over" she hiccoughed, her eye's stinging from the onslaught of tears, her sobs echoing through the silence. "He's left me" every one seemed to understand. Fred dropped his hands to his sides, his fists clenching at his sides, his whole body shaking with what George knew to be a building rage. He grabbed Fred's shoulders and hauled him away before anyone else noticed while Mrs Weasley wrapped Hermione into a bone crushing hug.

"Hermione, dear" she said, as the younger witch wrapped her arms around her mother-in-law "What happened?"

"He said I'd cheated on him, that there was another man, that Rose wasn't his daughter, but it's not true, Mrs Weasley" she sobbed loudly. "It's not true; I'd never do that, never!"

"I know, dear, I know" she said, clearly as angry with her son as the twins were in this moment. "What else did he say" she said, leading Hermione to sit down at the kitchen table where Mr Weasley was currently sat with a cup of tea.

"That I was a whore and that it was over, and that I had to take Rose and leave. But I can't leave, Mrs Weasley, I can't. I've got nowhere to go" she sobbed harder than before, cupping her hand over her mouth to stop to horrendous noise.

"You can stay with us" Said a voice from the doorway. Hermione turned and saw George, clearly having taken Fred somewhere to calm down. "You and Rose can stay with us until you find your own place." He said, placing a hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"Thank you, George." She said, wiping her nose on her sleeve "That's very kind but I couldn't, I couldn't do it to you and Fred" she said, trying not to flinch when she said his name. It wasn't Fred's fault; it was hers, all her fault, and it always would be.

"Nonsense" he said, dismissing her with his hand "We've got plenty of room, plus we love that little girl to bits" he said with a smile, making Hermione return it with a sniffled one of her own.

"My little boy!" Mrs Weasley suddenly gushed, wrapping he arms around George, pulling him down to her height, which was quite a challenge since she was at least two heads shorts than he was. "And you too!" she exclaimed, grabbing Fred as soon as he entered the room. "You're both so kind, I'm so proud!"

"Okay, 'Mione" George said with a smile, you go and get Rose from Ginny, We'll start moving your stuff" he said and apparated before she could argue.

"See you in a bit, 'Mione" Fred said once he was freed and he too, apparated away, leaving Hermione feeling lost and far more guilty than she had a few hours ago.

Hermione arrived at the flat above Weasley Wizard Wheeze's a few minutes later, Rose clutched in her arms and with a promise of explaining to Ginny what had happened to her the next day. Amusingly, Hermione arrived just in time to see Fred trying to disentangle Crookshanks claws from George's leg.

"Jesus, 'Mione!" Fred said, finally managing to pull the cat off, which then proceeded to sneak off a hide beneath the kitchen cabinet, its yellow eyes wide as it hissed and spat at the twins.

"That cat's a monster" George finished for him, waving his wand towards the rips in his trousers, repairing them instantly.

"You two really don't have to do this" she said, holding tightly to Rose who was sound asleep in her arms.

"No problem" George said with another dismissive hand. "Now you and little Rose" he said, wiggling a finger towards her cheek "Are in the second bedroom over there" he said, pointing to the door off from the living room.

"But that's Fred's room" she said, remembering from the time when she'd apparated here after a fight with Ron to then knock on Fred's door.

"Not while you're hear it's not. And before you complain" he said, holding a hand up to silence her "Rose's crib is already in there. Now go and get some sleep, we'll sort everything else out." Fred said with a smile, his hand sat on Hermione's shoulder as she stared at him, dumbstruck by his sheer generosity.

Knowing not to look a gift horse in the mouth, Hermione trudged off to Fred's old room, lying Rose down in her crib and shutting the door.

"You've got it bad, Freddie" George said, clapping his brother on the shoulder.

"You know I'm going to kill him, right?" Fred asked, his eyes not leaving the door that the twenty-one year old witch and her daughter had just disappeared behind.

"I think we all are, mate" George said before apparating back to Hermione's old house. Fred, however, stood rooted to the spot in the living room, listening pained as the broken sobs of the beautiful witch echoed through the flat, filling Fred's heart with more hatred than he thought it was capable of holding. He wasn't just going to kill Ron; he was going to make his life hell for what he'd done to her.

Hermione never did meet Ginny the next day.

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><p>It was too much, far too much for such a young witch to be dealing with, especially only four years after fighting in the most brutal battle of the wizarding world. Hermione knew that this wasn't the place for her; she'd lost her husband, her home, now she was sure to lose her friends, and she didn't want to be around when that happened.<p>

So that night, while Fred and George were both asleep, Hermione began packing away all of hers and Rose's belonging in her bag. She charmed furniture to shrink before shoving it all inside her handbag, the same one that was used when the trio went horcrux hunting, the one that was far bigger on the inside. She lifted Rose out of her crib, lying her down on the bed as she shrank her cot, shoving that too, into the bag.

Wrapping Rose up in a blanket and tying the string of her bag around her wrist, Hermione snuck out into the living room where a snoring Fred currently lay sprawled on the sofa. Flicking her wand, she summoned some parchment and a quill, jotting a quick note down and leaving it on the cluttered coffee table.

She kissed Fred quickly and delicately on the forehead, soft enough that he wouldn't feel it before wiping her cheeks dry. With one last look at the flat, she apparated with a loud crack, one that both of the Weasley twins slept through, neither of them knowing until sunrise that Hermione had even gone, by which point it would be too late to find her.

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><p><strong>So this story is based on the song Youth by Daughter and I had intended it to be a one-shot song fic like a lot of my other stories, but then I got more and more ideas and now it's another multi-story fic. <strong>

**Not all the chapters will be this long, I just didn't want to split this one apart since it's before the actual story begins, a prologue of sorts. **

**Please favourite/follow/review, you know I love hearing what you guys think.**


	2. Shadows Settle

**Disclaimer, I've realised I don't do these enough, but I don't own these characters, they are J.K. Rowling's, all I own is the plot. **

**Please review!**

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><p><em>"Shadows settle on the place, that you left.<br>Our minds are troubled by the emptiness."_

_Daughter, Youth._

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><p><em><em>One year later and a lot had changed for Hermione Granger. Despite anyone's knowledge, she was currently living in the city of London, working every week day in a quiet bookshop away from the centre of the city called _The Yellowing Pages_. It was a beautiful shop, each wall lined with shelves to the ceiling, each one stocked with every book she could imagine, yet she was having to work a night shift at a dingy diner filled with drunks just so she could pay for rent, food and bills.

Rose was two years old now with a beautiful pair of sparkling blue eyes, filled with curiosity and an almost full head of red hair that Hermione would braid for her, it pained Hermione to see Rose, so obviously a Weasley, separated from the family that loved her, all because of the selfishness of her father, but the choice had been made. No one knew where Hermione was anymore, she'd had no contact what so ever with the Weasley's, not after she left the note for Fred, and no one had come looking for her, and for that, she was grateful.

She missed them more than she had ever missed anyone, possibly more than she missed her own parents, and she was almost ashamed to say such a thing after she had been the one to leave.

It still hurt, everyday it hurt her to remember what it was like to be married, to be a perfect family, in the perfect house that was now probably sold off with someone else living inside it.

However, Hermione wasn't unprepared. In fact she was the opposite. She had a nice, modest amount of money in the bank, enough at least that she could afford a small, one bedroom flat for her and Rose to live in, one they had moved into only four days after leaving Fred's flat. It was nothing special, and it smelt of damp, but it was all she had. She wasn't, however, alone.

After only a few weeks, Hermione had left work late and was on her way to the diner, far to eager for this day to end, for her to leave work and pick her daughter up from the kind old woman on the ground floor. She'd just locked up the shop and was leaving through the back entrance and into alley. It was there that she'd found him, lying battered and bloody in the gutter with his clothing torn, his usually white hair filthy and blood stained, his left eye black and his lip bloody.

She's apparated him to her house immediately, lying him on the compact sofa, cleaning his wounds and sealing them with the healing charms she'd learnt while travelling with Harry and Ron the year of the war. It was then that Draco Malfoy woke up; he explained what had happened, how he'd been attacked by the children of deatheaters who were rotting in Azkaban, Deatheaters whose names he'd given. He'd thanked her for her kindness, claiming not many others would have done what she did, and he asked for her forgiveness.

She had of course been wary. However, Hermione was in no place to be judgemental, she was a single mum at twenty-one with a young daughter, a poor paying job in a bookshop and a tiny flat clearly built for a drug addict. So she remained open minded. Draco had said he wished to make amends, and make amends he did.

No less than two weeks later, he and Hermione were sharing a two bedroom flat in muggle London, both of them splitting the cost's between them. It turned out that Draco was extremely good with children.

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><p>Life was good for Hermione, Draco (Who worked for the Ministry Of Magic) stuck true to his word and told no one of Hermione's whereabouts, in return, Hermione granted him with something Draco hadn't felt truly in his entire life - Hermione Granger was Draco Malfoy's friend.<p>

"Draco!" she called one morning, another year on as she stood before the cooker in her grey pyjama bottoms and a vest, her hair pulled into a scruffy ponytail as the scent of bacon wafted through the flat. It wasn't a very big flat, with the kitchen and living room being the same room and only one bathroom, but it was what Hermione called home. Draco paid a larger share of the rent, Hermione having quite her diner job. She now took Rose to work with her as well, letting her sit in the back room colouring while she manned the till. Between her and Draco they'd managed to create a whole new bedroom that the landlord didn't know about so Rose could have her own space. Hermione still loved magic.

There were pictures of her and Draco around the living room, some with Rose included some without. "Draco! You're breakfast is ready!" she shouted, hearing his grumbled reply.

Hermione's favourite photo was at the centre of the mantle piece. It was her, Rose and Draco earlier that year, at least five months ago on Rose's third birthday. She was wearing a cute, white dress, her red hair pulled into two pigtails, each tied off with a ribbon. They were sat in the park, having a picnic. Hermione stood in front of the swing, pushing from that side, Draco from the back, Rose giggling and squealing with delight.

The woman who had taken their photo had said what an adorable couple Draco and Hermione were. The two of them had laughed in the poor woman's face, explaining furtively that they were not, and would not, ever be a couple.

"Hermione" Draco grumbled, walking out of his room wearing just his green pyjama bottoms, his platinum hair wild and in disarray as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "It's Friday" he pointed out, looking at her moodily.

"I know it's Friday" she said smiling, piling Draco's scrambled eggs onto a plate as the toast popped from the toaster.

"Friday is my day off, which leads to my next question. Why would you wake me up at-" he paused to glance at the cheap wall clock ticking above the cooker "-Half eight on a Friday" he grumbled as she began to butter his toast thinly.

"Because" she said, pointing the butter knife at him. "I'm sick of being your alarm clock. You're going to start waking yourself up on your own, I'm merely helping the process" she said cheekily, planting the plate of food in front of him.

"Brilliant" he said, grabbing a fork and eating his eggs, making sure none of them touched the bacon or the toast. Draco, who had not willingly taken part in the deatheaters plans, was cleared of all charges against him by the Minister For Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, on the terms that Draco was to be stripped of his riches and forced to make a new name for himself, to reinvent the Malfoy's, so to speak. He had – however grudgingly – agreed.

"Plus, I'm going out tonight" she said, putting more eggs onto a much smaller, much pinker plate.

"As you do every Friday" Draco butt in once he'd swallowed his food.

"And I wanted us to do something before hand, you me and Rose" she said and Draco raised an eyebrow at her, which she pointedly ignored to cut up a slice of toast into thin strips, small enough for a child.

"Why's that?" he asked dubiously, watching as she placed the food on the seat next to Draco who was sat on one side of their small, square table.

"I just thought it'd be nice" she said shrugging "Rose, honey!" she shouted "Breakfast" no less than a second after Hermione had returned to the kitchen, a small little girl came bounding into the room running (still rather clumsily) on her two legs, her wild red hair was down, her blue eye's excited as she looked around.

"Dwaco!" she shouted excitedly, running towards the twenty-four year old, who stood up immediately, grabbing her around the waist and hoisting her up onto his hip.

"Morning Princess!" he said, kissing her cheek and making her giggle. "How's my favourite little girl this morning?"

"Rose, your foods on the table" Hermione said, giving Draco a look that said 'don't distract her'.

"Come one then" he said, planting Rose in her seat "mother's orders." Hermione shot him a glare and Draco went back to eating his toast, trying to hold back his laughter as Rose picked up her pink spoon and began feeding herself from her heightened chair.

"So, Rose, do you want to go out today?" Hermione asked as she placed a sippy-cup of orange juice in front of Rose, a hot mug of black coffee in front of Draco.

"Woman, you are an angel" he said, inhaling the bitter scent of the hot drink. Hermione smiled.

"We could go to the park?" she asked again and Rose smiled around her mouthful of egg, making Draco laugh. Hermione's table manners may have been impeccable, and so were Draco's but Rose seemed to eat like her father, a lot of food at once with no regard for how much of it stayed inside her mouth. "We'll get read to go after breakfast then" she said smiling as she drank her own coffee, desperate for the caffeine to kick in, and soon.

Hermione may have played the part of a perfect mother, but Draco knew she was still fighting against falling part, even now, two years on. He could see how much she missed Ron sometimes. When they'd first moved in together two years ago, Draco had left the toilet seat up while Hermione raced around with Rose. She seen it and gone mad, shouting at Draco and calling him Ronald. She'd broken down then, cried for the first time since they'd lived together. That night Hermione told Draco everything, that was when the Friday night tradition was born.

Every Friday, Hermione was allowed to go out for the night to a bar, any bar, and she was aloud to drink as much as she wanted and to forget that she had already been married, divorced and had a child and other responsibilities at only twenty-four years old. She thought it was ridiculous at first, and then she'd gotten used to it, now she longed for the night of ignorance, the night where she could finally act her age. Of course Draco would always find her before anything got out of hand, he owed her that much.

"Mummy" Rose said, looking innocently at Hermione, most of her breakfast on her face. "Fimished" she said, her big blue eyes.

"Okay then, sweetie" Hermione said, picking Rose up from her chair, wiping the egg and crumbs from her face with a napkin "Let's go get ready" she said, nuzzling her nose against her daughters. "You get ready too" she said, pointing at Draco. He nodded from above the rim of his coffee, holding up his hand. _Five minutes. _

Ten minutes later, Hermione had Rose wearing blue trousers and a mint green top, her winter boots and her blue winter coat. She had also managed to dress her self quickly in blue jeans, a checked shirt and converse, her crazy hair tamed ever so slightly and hanging around her shoulders.

"Come on, Rose" Hermione said, throwing her denim jacket on and wrapping her old Gryffindor scarf around her neck. "Get your scarf quickly" Rose came back a few seconds later clutching a home knitted purple and blue scarf that Hermione had made and a pair of mittens. "Let's get them on then" she said, tying the scarf around Rose's neck, tucking it beneath her buttoned up coat and slipping her mittens on. It was late November, meaning the temperature had dropped to far colder than Hermione was comfortable with.

Draco appeared then, already wearing his dark grey coat, black jeans and shoes, his Slytherin scarf around his neck, his hair surprisingly fluffy.

"Did you wash your hair?" Hermione asked, amazed at how feminine Draco was sometimes.

"I used a charm" he said, shrugging slightly, oblivious to Hermione's disbelieving face. "Time to go?" he asked, and Hermione nodded. "Come on then princess" he said unlatching the door and stepping through. Picking Rose up, Hermione followed, allowing Draco to shut and lock the door behind them. "Time for an adventure" Draco said with a cheeky smile, winking at Hermione as he led them down the stairs. "With my two favourite girls." He said brightly "What could be better!"

Rolling her eyes, Hermione followed after him.

"What would we do without him?" Hermione said to Rose who was currently playing with Hermione's curls. She was instantly reminded of Teddy with his turquoise hair and how he used to play with her ringletts. With a sigh, and pushing those thoughts from her head, Hermione set off down the stairs, following Draco on what he said was going to be an adventure, completely unaware of what fate had in store for her.

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><p>It was about nine o'clock when Hermione finally entered the bar that Friday, exhausted after her day out with Rose and Draco. Luckily, Rose had been feeling the same, since as soon as she's finished her dinner and was washed and in her pyjama's she fell asleep on the sofa.<p>

"Ill carry her to bed" Draco had said, "you go and enjoy your night" and after a quick change of clothes and a shower, here she was.

It was a muggle bar, nothing too extravagant, but tranquil enough that it avoided the onslaught of stag nights and football fans that usually crowded the pub in London on a Friday. It was simple with dark green wall paper with pictures of the country hanging from the walls between the wall lamps, a burgundy carpet matching the tops of the bar stools and the cheap, knock-off velvet of the booths, the bar stretching the length of the wall.

Hermione sat atop a stool at the edge of the bar, wand in the pocket of her jeans, her hair falling around her shoulders and a very recently filled glass of whiskey in front of her.

It was good to get away from the stress life had her under. Neither her, nor Draco, received fantastic pay for either of their jobs, meaning what money they earned was put towards the more important needs. This namely being the rent, the bills and to buy food and clothes for the very fast growing little girl that had become the centre of Hermione's world. It was incredibly rare that Hermione would do anything for herself. She was still wearing the clothes she'd left with two years ago, patching up the rips and tears as best she could, she even made completely new clothes from the ones that no longer fit her. She'd made a rather fetching summer dress out of a crappy, old dress she'd picked up at the charity shop for under two pounds.

The one night a week she spent in this bar was all she ever truly did for herself, her escape from stress and memories. But it was also the time she reflected on the turn her life had taken, from happily married war hero, to most likely depressed single mum, it was quite the transfer. Yet the gentle burn of alcohol in her throat and veins was usually enough to quell the ache and longing for her lost family, so it was a fair balance.

That made the shock ten times worse for her when a far too familiar looking red-head wondered into the bar, seeming not to notice her on his arrival. Out of all the bars in all of London, it was only natural for Hermione that Fred Weasley would stumble into the very one she called her sanctuary.

She couldn't get past him, he was standing in the entrance, looking from person to person, clearly looking for a place to sit. She couldn't get up and hide in the ladies toilets, she'd draw attention to herself being the only person standing in a room of at least seventeen people, plus the toilets were right next to the exit, making it another unlikely escape rout. Hermione was trapped.

The only hope she had was keeping her head down and finishing her drink while he found a seat, trying not to draw any attention to herself. If he just sat down, then she could get up and leave, grabbing her coat and scarf and he need never know she was there.

But fate had already decided how this night was going to play out. Just as Hermione was bracing herself to slip off of her barstool, unnoticed, the very person she was trying to avoid pulled up in the one beside her.

"Hello, Hermione" he said, his voice slightly sad but not at all shocked, not the way she had imagined.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked, raising her eyebrow at him, trying to ignore the pull of her old life, of her family and her friends.

"I saw you at the park today" he said solemnly. "You were pushing a little girl on the swings, I didn't think it was you to begin with, I though I was going mad. But then you called out for her, you called her Rose. You left then, and I was going to follow you, but you disappeared"

"I apparated" she said, lying. She'd felt the strange sense that someone was watching her and told Draco. He'd taken Rose from her, saying he'd take her home so Hermione could slip into the busy crowd without being spotted. At least now she knew she hadn't been going crazy. Fred nodded at her response, eyeing her like he'd never seen her before.

"It's different at home" he said after a moment's silence, one Hermione was far too eager to escape from. She didn't respond, just nodded absently, twirling the empty shot glass between her fingers. "It's almost like shadows have settled on the place you left, Mum's more emotional than usual, Ron doesn't usually come round anymore, Harry's a mess and Ginny looks like she's holding it together, but I know she's really falling apart." He was obviously trying to gauge a reaction out of her, one he didn't seem to be getting.

Hermione wanted to respond, she wanted to apologise and beg for forgiveness, but the claws of guilt had wrapped around her vocal chords, strangling any words she might have said, so she stared at the glass in her hands, praying the bar tender would fill it up soon.

"Everyone's minds are troubled, Hermione, all by the emptiness you left behind you, and it isn't just you, but Rose too. We miss that little girl so much"

"Please don't bring my daughter into this" she said blandly, her voice monotonous, not even angry, she didn't have the feeling to be angry.

"Teddy asks for you a lot, even made his hair brown and curly, Harry keeps telling him your coming back, but Ginny isn't so sure. Mum still has hope of course-"

"Fred, please" she said, cutting him off mid-sentence, her eyes tightly shut as she fought back the tears that were stinging her eyes, "Don't do this"

"I'm not doing anything, Hermione, I just want to know why you left us" he said pleadingly, watching as the bar tender poured another glass of amber liquid for Hermione, taking her now fingerprinted glass away. "What are you even doing here?" he asked suddenly, looking around himself at the bar she was sitting in. She was so out of place, a beautiful, young woman surrounded by balding men a scraggly haired old women, all of them sitting alone, one of them talking to herself, all wondering where their lives went wrong.

"Setting fire to my insides" she said, swallowing the liquid in one, quick gulp, her face wincing at the burning bite it left behind in her mouth.

"Why though?"

"For fun" she shrugged, placing the glass back on the bar's worn, wooden surface. Was that why she was here, like everyone else, was she figuring out where her life went wrong? "And collecting names of lovers that went wrong, I've got a handful now. Would you like to hear them?" she said, her voice spiting sarcasm "There's Krum, Cormac, Ron-"

"Hermione!" Fred burst in suddenly, "what has happened to you? You're cooped up in a mangy bar – no offence" he said to the bar tender who gave him a curt nod and continued to wipe the bars surface, clearly unaffected by Fred's words "- surrounded by people who I'm not one hundred percent sure are still alive." He said, indicating with his head to an old woman alone in the booth by the door, her arm limp by her side, her glass on the floor beside where she sat. She was still breathing, at least. " Are you still alive, Hermione?" he asked suddenly, looking at her, trying desperately to hold her eye.

"Let's just put it this way" she said, slamming the glass down and staring at him "If you're still breathing, you're the lucky one" she said plainly, staring into his blue eyes, trying to avoid the surge of emotions that pooled in her own, more tears pricking her eyes as she looked at the man she used to care for. "Because most of us are breathing through corrupted lungs" She said, indicating to everyone in the room, including herself, with her index finger. Maybe she was trying to sound poetic, and she did, but it still made no sense.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, thoroughly confused.

"We messed up our own lives, Fred" she said boldly, gripping the edge of the bar. "We were a reckless and wild youth. We were chasing unlikely visions of the future, not realising that one day we'd reveal the truth, that one of us would die before they ever got there" she said, her eyes watering as tears slipped through her eyes. "And it looks like I drew the short straw"

"You're still alive, Hermione" he reassured, placing a hand on her bare arm, almost wincing at how cold her skin was. The bar was rather chilly, and Fred still had a coat on, but Hermione was wearing nothing but blue jeans and a short sleeved purple shirt, the top two buttons undone and a bandage wrapped around her forearm.

"Am I though?" she said, crying silently, her facing flushing from the tears. "Most of my feelings are dead and they are gone" she said bitterly "Does that sound to you like someone who's alive?"

"Hermione, I don't think you know what you're saying" Fred pressed, hoping beyond hope that this was only the alcohol talking, and that this young, beautiful witch hadn't truly fallen this far.

"I do though" she said and her voice was unnervingly steady when she spoke "I've lost it all, my husband, my family, my friends, I'm just a silhouette of who I once was, a lifeless face you'll soon forget" She said, remembering the amount of time people would come into her work, gush at Rose who was sat looking at the pictures in a story book, leaving Hermione completely overlooked.

"I could never forget you, Hermione" he said, moving his hand so it rested on her shoulder, her damps eyes looked at him and Fred wasn't sure what he expected to happen, Maybe she'd jump into his arms, begging him to take her home, or maybe she'd shout again and break down some more, but she didn't, she wasn't the girl she once was, but she was still Hermione. So she smiled at him.

"Thank you" she said, sniffling slightly. "Look at me" she said, rolling her eyes with a self depreciating laugh, tears were clinging to her eyelashes like dew on the grass "I finally see my friend again and I act like some broken , I'm sorry, Let's try again" she said, wiping her cheeks furiously, trying to regain the strong composure she'd built up over the past two years, the one that was destroyed, simply by Fred speaking to her. What had she become? "What's new with you?"

"Well Bill and Fleur's daughter, Victoire, just turned three" he said, and Hermione remembered the beautiful little girl with the silvery blonde hair, just like her mothers "And they just had another daughter, Dominique, she's called, and George got married-"

"To who?" Hermione suddenly exclaimed, shocked to how she hadn't heard of this, she still read the daily prophet daily, how this news could have been overlooked, she didn't know.

"To Angelina" he replied with a proud smile "They got married on the beach behind shell cottage this July just gone" he said and Hermione could almost picture it. Angelina wearing a beautiful white dress that floated on the breeze, lighter than air, her dark hair hanging in loose curls. Katie and Ginny being bridesmaids, and Teddy and Victiore taking part as well. "And Percy has a girlfriend now"

"Good for him" Hermione said, smiling at her memory of Percy, the smart and neat boy who was fuelled by ambition, working for power. "What's she like?"

"She's surprisingly fun, works at the ministry of course" he said, rolling his eyes "Part of the law enforcement team, I believe, she's a muggle born too, Dad's fascinated by her!" Hermione giggled then, a sound very uncharacteristic of her, but it slipped out any way. She remembered her and Harry whenever Mr Weasley was in the room, both of them sharing amused glances when he asked them the most bizarre of questions.

"How's Ron?" She burst out, regretting the words as soon as they left her lips. She was only thinking of what had happened to him had he fallen apart like she had, needing someone else to pick up the pieces, did he ever notice she'd left. "You don't have to answer that" she said, looking away from the sympathetic look on her face, his big blue eyes gazing at her like she was a kicked puppy.

"Hermione" Fred said, reaching out and taking her hands which were playing with another empty shot glass. "He's- Ron's, met someone" he said, but she didn't react, how were you supposed to react when the man you had loved and married moved on so fast.

"Who?" she asked quietly and Fred's face softened even more "Don't spare my feelings, just tell me"

"Lavender Brown" he said, following her instructions. That something she always loved about Fred, if you asked him for honesty, he gave it. He'd never sugar coat a situation in the hopes your emotions would remain whole, he knew that if it was going to hurt you, it was better to let it get out of the way.

"Okay" she said, biting her lip to hold back the tears, but they didn't come, she didn't feel the need to cry. Ron had moved on, and in some ways, so had she. Hermione had tried dating over the past year, she thought it would be healthy for her, she was still young after all, but something always got in the way. Either they were using her or they jumped the second they found out about Rose. It seemed acceptance was a hard thing to find when you were a twenty-four year old single mum living with another man.

"So what's new with your life?" Fred asked after the tension from their silence had reached breaking point. "Where are you living? How's Rose? What do you do?" he said quickly, clearly desperate for them to change the subject, Hermione was grateful for that.

"I live in a shared flat just down the street" she said, nodding slightly, her thoughts still on Ron, the thought of him being happy with someone else but most of all, the fact she wasn't distraught over it and she should be. She should be crying, kicking ad screaming like her entire world had come crumbling down. Instead she felt lighter than she had in a long time. The truth of knowing that Ron wasn't grieving her loss, it was closure, it was a green light to finally move on with her life properly. "Rose is doing great, she's walking and talking and eats like her father" she said with a laugh, remembering all too clear early the mess she'd made this morning with her eggs. "And I work weekdays in a bookshop down the street from my flat" she said, watching as Fred watched her, his blue eyes shinning with questions he didn't want to ask until she'd finished speaking.

"Who do you live with?" he asked, making Hermione laugh slightly at the absurdity of the situation.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you" she said, thinking absently that if someone had told her the same information two years ago she would have laughed in the face, maybe after she'd slapped it for being so ridiculous.

"Try me" he said, crossing his arms across his chest and looking down at her with challenging eyes.

"Fine then" she said, sitting up straighter rising to his challenge. "It's Draco Malfoy" she said boldly, watching as Fred scoffed at her, had he been drinking she was sure he would have spat it out at her.

"_Draco Malfoy?" _he asked gobsmacked. "_The_ Draco Malfoy? The boy who made your life hell? Are you insane?" he exclaimed and Hermione shrugged.

"He's a changed man, and Rose loves him" she said reasonably, but it was Clear that despite he wasn't arguing, this topic was not over.

"Blimey, I never thought I'd see the day" he said, gazing blindly into nothing.

"What day?" Hermione asked cautiously, making Fred smirk at her.

"The Day Hermione Granger makes a joke better than one of my own" he said, laughing at her, she just rolled her eyes.

"As much as I'm flattered by your comment, this isn't a joke" she said and Fred's smirk fell. "He's a changed man, Fred. He's really turned his life around" She said reasonably "He works for the ministry now and he's brilliant with Rose, she called him dad the other day, it was tragic" she said chuckling at the memory.

"So, urm, are you two – you know?" Fred said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. Hermione could see where it had reddened beneath his dark blue scarf, his un-kept red hair sticking out at funny angles above the collar of his coat.

"Together?" Hermione asked, wide eyed, Fred nodded "Merlin, no!" she said, laughing at the relief that flooded Fred's face. "Honestly, that's ridiculous!" she said and Fred had the decency to blush slightly. "So how about you?" she said "Are you seeing someone?"

"I am, actually" Fred said shyly. Hermione hadn't quite anticipated the way her stomach would plummet at his words.

"Really?" she said appreciatively, despite the horrible sinking feeling she was experiencing "who's the lucky girl?"

Fred laughed. "Katie Bell" he said casually, his eyes not meeting Hermione's "She was one of Angelina's bridesmaids, and you know the tradition of the bridesmaid and the best man" Fred said, but Hermione heard that it was half hearted.

"And you love her?" she asked, and Fred nodded slightly, not overly believably either. "Well if you're in love, then you are the lucky one" she said, placing a hand over where his were clasped atop the bar. He looked up at their contact, his blue eyes meeting hers "'Cause most of us are bitter over someone" she continued with a smile, indicating with her eyes to the fellow occupants of the now slightly emptier pub, of all the people sitting alone. "That's why we're setting fire to our insides" she said.

"Why's that?" he asked, watching how sad Hermione's eyes looked, despite the strength in her posture and the smile on her face.

"To distract our hearts from ever missing them" she said with a sad smile that hardly reached her eyes on her face as she spoke.

"And are you missing him?" he asked carefully.

"I'm forever missing him" she said, thinking of more than one person. She missed Harry, her best friend who she'd left without any word of explanation. She thought about Ron, the man she thought she loved, and how she missed the friend that he used to be, before all of this happened. That's the Ron she'd been missing, not the husband she'd found far too young, but the friend she'd lost. But most of all, she thought of Fred, of the man who comforted her when she cried, who took time from his already busy schedule to look after a baby that wasn't his, just so Hermione could sleep. That's the Fred she missed.

"Come back with me" He said eagerly, the words tumbling out of his mouth like vomit, surprisingly and clumsily.

"Excuse me?" Hermione asked, her eyebrow raised. Fred remembered how she used to do that when she wanted convincing.

"Come back with me, you and Rose. It's perfect, George moved out ages ago so I have a spare room, I'm sure ferret boy wont mind; you can stay with me until you find a place of your own. This is brilliant!"

"Slow down, wonder boy" Hermione said, holding up a dismissive hand. He gave her a quizzical look at the name "Never mind" she said " but I cant come and live with you, Fred" she said, causing Fred's smile to fade, the action hitting her like a punch in the gut.

"But, why not?" he asked confused.

"I'm just not ready" she said, knotting her hands together in her lap. "I'm not ready to face them, and I cant just drop Rose into a new world like that" she said.

"But-" he began, but Hermione cut him off.

"I said no, Fred." She said defiantly "And I mean no" breathing out a big sigh, she stood up "I'm sorry, but I need to go" she said, grabbing her bag from the floor by her feet. "Draco will want to know where I am" she said, beginning to walk away, but Fred stopped her, his strong hand wrapping around her wrist.

"Look, Hermione, I'm sorry" Fred said, pulling Hermione around so she stood in front of where he sat, each of his hands holding one of hers. "I came on a little strong there, I know, it's just. Well, I've missed you, 'Mione" he said, smiling up at her while she looked pointedly to the floor. "Just – Just come to mine tomorrow, we'll have lunch, maybe make a day of it. What d'ya say?" he said forcing an encouraging smile.

"Draco's working, there's no one to watch Rose" Hermione replied flatly, her eyes now looking at a painting on the wall of a man on a horse. It was strange for her now, to see photographs and paintings that didn't move. She didn't belong in the muggle world anymore.

"Bring her too, it'll be the three of us" Hermione opened her mouth to reply again but Fred held up a hand, silencing her "And I promise, I wont tell anyone I found you" he said earnestly, his blue eyes still searching hers out, trying to grasp some contact.

"Okay" Hermione said quietly, so quietly Fred almost didn't hear her.

"Really?" he said eagerly, the smile on his face was far too much to resist, Hermione looked at him and soon, she found herself smiling too, more than she had in years.

"Really" she said.

"Brilliant!" Fred exclaimed so loud that the sleeping old woman jerked awake. Fred jumped to his feet, wrapping his arms around Hermione's waist and pulling her into an oh-too-familiar Weasley hug. She laughed and squealed as Fred spun her around, her arms wrapping themselves instinctively around his neck.

When he put her down, her face was flushed pink with embarrassment, but no one else bat an eyelid. Hermione stood there, her arms still around Fred's neck, his around her waist, just staring into his ecstatic blue eyes as he smiled goofily down at her. It was adorable really, his smile, his straight, white teeth grinning down at her, his strong jaw line dusted with the slightest of ginger stubble.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow" he said brightly, still smiling widely at her. Hermione nodded, returning his smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow" she echoed. Fred let her go then, kissing her cheek before heading towards the door of the pub.

"Oh, and Hermione?" he said, standing in the open doorway. She turned towards him, watching as the smile still played across his features. The wind outside was ruffling his already scruffy red hair, his scarf fluttering slightly around his neck. "I really have missed you" he said before exiting the bar, leaving a dumbstruck Hermione stood in the middle of a room filled with dead people, yet she felt more alive than she had done in years.


	3. The Flood That Wrecked Our Home

**Disclaimer - I dont own Harry Potter or the characters within it, I only own this plot. Thank you for the reveiw, and the advice :)**

**I've uploaded all of my pre-written work for this story today since I'm not 100% sure when I'll be able to update again, but please stick with it. **

**Please review!**

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><p><em>"Collecting pictures from a flood that wrecked our home,<br>It was a flood that wrecked this home."_

_Daughter, Youth._

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><p>"So, explain this to me again" Draco said from his spot on the couch where he was currently drinking his coffee, watching Hermione rush around trying to get ready with an amused smile on his face. "Why are you making such a fuss about meeting Weasel-boy?" he asked, raising his eyebrow as he sipped his hot drink.<p>

It was half six on Saturday morning and Draco didn't need to be at work until half eight, still, he enjoyed watching his best friend rushing around in her pyjama's trying to tidy up before she left.

"Draco, please, not now" she said, holding a packet of pencils in one hand, a discarded t-shirt in the other. "It's been so long since I've seen any of the Weasley's I could really use the support right now" she said accusingly, making Draco hold up his hands – one of which still clasped his coffee – in mock surrender.

"Hey" he said defensively "You helped me a couple of years ago, so you know I'm behind whatever it is you do" he said, his eyes looking only half sincere.

"But…" Hermione said, raising an eyebrow as she shoved the t-shirt in the laundry basket, the pencils in the drawer beneath the TV.

"But" Draco began "I know how you used to feel about Weasleby and I don't want to see you getting hurt" he said with a shrug, trying to play off that his words meant nothing, that they were casual conversation. That's what Draco did, he tried to maintain a superior attitude, making out he had a heart of stone, but Hermione knew he was a big softie really. he had, after all, bargained for the Ministry to search for Hermione's parents having claimed if they found them, they could find Hermione. This however proved only to be a heart-breaking disappointment.

"Well that's very sweet of you, Draco" she said, smiling at him as she picked up three books, balancing them on one arm while she grabbed a few discarded mugs "And I don't doubt you'll hate me for saying it, but you really do mean a lot to me" she said, dropping the mugs in the sink that was currently filled with soapy water, using her wand to levitate the books back to their place on the shelf. Rose only got them down for the pictures. "Now go and have a shower and I'll cook you some decent food" she said, giving him a pointed look, knowing full well what his diet consisted of whenever she was away.

"What would I do without you?" he said, dropping his mug in the sink and kissing her on the forehead moxkingly. She then preceded the slap his arm with a dishtowel when he tried to get away. "You know you love me really!" he shouted before Hermione heard the bathroom door slam.

With a half laugh, half sigh, Hermione set to work on breakfast. She lit the cooker, using her wand to summon ingredients to her while she grabbed a saucepan. A few minutes later, Draco appeared from the bathroom, a towel around his waist to reveal his very pale, very toned stomach as he used another towel to rub his hair dry, leaving it scruffy and sticking up in all directions.

He sat down at his spot at their tiny table just as Hermione placed a plate in front of him, a plate containing a cheese and ham omelette, something she knew Draco loved.

"Hermione" he said, after a few bites, his face pulled into an expression of mock delight "Where did you learn to cook?" he said, eating as much as he could while still maintaining his manners.

"If you must know" she said, levitating the frying pan into the sink, charming the sponge to clean the washing up for her "Molly taught me" she said shyly and Draco's face softened.

"Well I'd love to meet that woman one day and congratulate her on making such a splendid chef" he said, returning to his food while Hermione continued to clean.

"Maybe one day you will" she said under her breath, not noticing the sad look Draco gave her from over his plate when she wasn't looking.

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><p>At half past eleven, Hermione was almost ready to go. By the time Draco had left for work at half eight she managed to tidy the entire flat, meaning she had half an hour to shower, get dressed and grab some a coffee herself before she needed to wake Rose up.<p>

Now she was stood by the door, tying a scarf around Rose's neck as the little girl sat on the floor pulling a pair of red wellies over her grey tights. She wore them with everything.

"Rose, grab your coat quickly" Hermione said, pulling her denim jacket on over her purple blouse, her Gryffindor scarf already around her neck, the laces of her converse untied.

"Oka'" Rose said, running lopsidedly to her room, still only wearing one red welly. Hermione had spent very little time getting herself ready for today; she wore a purple blouse with black jeans and converse, her wild brown hair dragged into a scruffy bun. Rose, however, upon hearing she was going to meet one of mummy's old friends, had spent most of the morning picking out the dress she was going to wear.

The little girl came running back, her blue coat in her hands, her curly red hair flying around behind her very vibrant yellow dress, the one she had insisted on wearing.

"Rose, put your other shoe on" Hermione said, grabbing her keys from the bowl by the door, putting them in her bag along with her wand and a small amount of money. Rose sat back on the floor, and began the task of pulling on her second welly boot. "Arm" Hermione said once Rose was back on her two feet. The little girl followed her mother's instructions putting one arm in the sleeve, followed by the other.

Hermione wrapped Rose's striped scarf around her neck, tucking it snugly into her buttoned up coat before helping her put on her mittens.

"Ready to go?" Hermione asked, putting her hands on her hips and looking down at Rose. The little girl was currently sucking her thumb, looking at Hermione with her big blue eyes. "Let's go then, honey" she said, holding a hand out for Rose, one the little girl took instantly.

Knowing from experience Rose wouldn't cope well with apparition (They had a stain on the living room carpet to prove that), Hermione decided to take the floo network over to the Leaky Cauldron before walking up Diagon alley to Weasley Wizard Wheezes.

"Okay, Rosie" Hermione said, picking the girl up and holding her on her hip, grabbing the floo powder with her spare hand. "Close your eyes." She did as she was told, and Hermione threw the powder down into the grate before shouting 'THE LEAKY CAULDRON!' and letting both her and her daughter be swallowed up by the emerald flames.

Hermione tumbled out of the grate at the other end, clutching very tightly to Rose who was coughing slightly but still had her eyes shut, her pale face screwed up tightly and dusted with soot.

"It's okay, Rose" Hermione said, placing the little girl back onto her feet "You can open you eyes now" Rose did as she was told, her big blue eyes looking fascinated and slightly shocked as they surveyed the room they had appeared in. "Oh, look at you" Hermione said, crouching to Rose's height, wiping the soot from her daughters face, hair and clothes. "Shall we go meet mummy's friend now?" she said, holding Rose's hands. The little girl nodded enthusiastically and Hermione kissed her on the forehead before standing up again, the little girl grabbing her hands instantly. "Let's go then" Hermione said, more to herself than her daughter.

Hermione led Rose through the Leaky Cauldron, trying to avoid the prying eyes of witches and wizards all around her as she headed for the secret entrance to Diagon Alley. Luckily for Hermione, the gate way was already open on the other side, so she was able to step straight through, Rose holding her hand, as the two of the navigated their way through the surprisingly quiet streets.

All the children being at school in Hogwarts meant that most of the shops were quiet, one or two customers each perhaps, and the cold weather meant that very few were outside in the street, giving Hermione a straight through to the shop she'd not seen since her sixth year at Hogwarts.

Coincidently, Weasley Wizard Wheezes was the only shop in all of Diagon Alley to be filled right up. The shop with fit to bursting with children too young for Hogwarts and their parents, each trying to buy the greatest toys and joke items that the shop had to offer.

Behind the counter was a young woman, likely in her early twenties, with short blonde hair and a friendly smile, she was serving a huge line of people, and when she saw Hermione she smiled even brighter. How could someone smile so much without their face aching?

"You must be Hermione" the woman said, excusing herself from behind the counter and greeting Hermione. She was incredibly slim and wore a knee-length red dress, a cream scarf wrapped around her neck despite the heat of the shop. "And You must be Rose" she said wiggling her finger infront of Rose's face. Rose, who was still sucking her thumb, shied away, wrapping her arms around Hermione's neck, burying her face in the crook of her mothers neck. "Urgh, She's beautiful" the woman said, going all goo-goo eyed at Rose, the way many people did "I wish I had one" she said, acting like Rose was a pet or an item of clothing.

"Urm, yes, I am" Hermione said gingerly, watching as the woman's rosy cheeks smiled even more, her unnervingly dark eyes looking at Hermione with nothing but joy in her eyes.

"I'm Verity, Mr Weasley said you'd be stopping by, I'll show you where to go" She said and began navigating herway through the packed bodied with ease.

"_Mr Weasley_?" Hermione scoffed, but followed the clicking of Verity's heels on the wooden floor anyway. After fighting her way through the pressing bodies, Hermione soon found herself being led thorugh the curtain she distinctly remembered to be the entrance to Fred and George's inventing room, and judging by the strong scent of burning and sulphur, it still was.

"It's at the top of those stairs" Verity said with a bright smile, indicating to a winding staircase in front of her.

"Oh, thank you" Said Hermione and Verity bounced off back to the shop, ready to serve the rather rowdy customers outside. Rose still had her head buried in Hermione's neck as she climbed the stairs, soon reaching a rather striking red door with a golden letter box and three gold 'W's forming the Weasley Wizard Wheezes crest.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione knocked on the door a few times, waiting patiently and smiling when she heard hurried footsteps from the other side.

"Hermione!" the red-headed man exclaimed when he wrenched the door open, his eyes bright and alive, his hair mussed and out of place. "Do come in"

"Hello, Fred" Hermione said, still slightly overwhelmed from the busy shop downstairs. "Shouldn't you be working in the shop?" she asked as Fred moved aside, allowing her entry. "It looks incredibly busy down there" she said

"Nah, its fine" he said, dismissing her politely with his hand, shutting the door behind them "It's nothing Verity can't handle, besides I needed to spend time with you and-" Fred froze suddenly, his eyes fixed on Hermione, or more accurately, what Hermione was holding.

Rose had pulled her head away from Hermione's neck and was currently eyeing Fred curiously with her big blue eyes, her thumb still in her mouth.

"Rose" Hermione said, clearly noticing how Fred couldn't finish his sentence, or start another one. "This is mummy's friend, Fred" Hermione smiled as Fred's eyes grew wider, his mouth almost hanging open "Are you going to say hello to Fred?" she asked the little girl.

"Hewwo" Rose said shyly, her small voice even more obstructed by the thumb in her mouth. Fred still didn't speak.

"Fred" Hermione said in the same baby-talking voice "Are you going to say hello to Rose?" she asked patronisingly, seeming to snap Fred out of his musings.

"Hey, Rose" he said, taking a tentative step forwards "I'm your Uncle Fred, you probably don't remember me" he said, now close enough to Rose and Hermione that he could touch them, but he didn't move out to touch either of them.

"Rose, do you want to draw in your book?" Hermione said, placing the little girl down on the sofa, her legs not even reaching the edge, and pulling out a colouring book with a pack of crayons taped to the front and placing it on the coffee table where she'd left her note. Rose immediately clambered off the sofa, kneeling on the floor and wrenching the book open, turning page after page of coloured drawings of princesses and animals, each one a strange mix of colours with the crayon marks far outside the lines. "Come on, Fred" she said indicating with her head towards the kitchen. Fred followed, his eyes never leaving the little girl who was currently colouring a frog in blue.

"You came" he said, a wondrous tone in his voice, so unlike the joking and mocking tone that Hermione was used too.

"We came" she said her arms crossed over her chest awkwardly as Fred's eyes kept flickering between Hermione and Rose.

"Hermione" He said dreamily "Merlin, Hermione, She's beautiful" he said watching the little girl.

"She really is" Hermione said absently, watching with a maternal smile as Rose got bored of one picture and moved onto the next.

"You look good" he said to Hermione, she hoped he didn't catch her blush as she said.

"Thank you" she couldn't fight back the guilt she felt being in the flat again. The last time she was here she'd left for good, not leaving a trace, nothing but a stupid note of goodbye and a kiss on a sleeping mans forehead. "So what's for lunch?" She said with a forced bright voice. Fred's eyes lit up immediately.

"That my dear, Hermione" Fred said, and it was only then that Hermione realised he was wearing an apron over the top of his light blue shirt. "Is 'Spaghetti ala Weasley'" he said with a cocky smile.

"If you're looking to see a bomb site" Hermione said frankly, "then giving my daughter spaghetti is a good way to go about it." She said laughing slightly.

"Well what would you suggest, Miss Granger?" he said, raising an eyebrow as he leant back against the kitchen counter. Hermione thought for a moment before grabbing her wand from her bag.

"How about" she said, swishing her wand through the air, making Fred start as cupboards began to open, all manner of things pouring out of them "Pancakes ala Granger" she said with a smirk she'd regrettably picked up from Malfoy, and Fred got a glimpse of the Hermione he had lost.

Half an hour later and Hermione had set the table for three people, a large plate full of varying pancakes on a plate in the centre.

"Rose, lunch is ready" she said, and rose jumped from the floor, he boots abandoned as she began half running, half waddling over to her mother who had taken of her jacket and scarf due to the heat of the kitchen and had managed to cover herself in various stains of flour, chocolate, strawberry jam and syrup. "Let's get this coat off you" Hermione said, unbuttoning Rose's blue coat and pulling it off, shortly followed by the mittens and the scarf. "Now go and ask Uncle Fred if he'll help you wash your hands" Hermione said, giving her daughter an encouraging look and smiling widely at Fred when Rose walked over to him.

"Umcle Fwed" Rose said, her thumb back in her mouth, a tell tale sign she was nervous "Can you help me?" she asked shyly, looking up at him with big blue eyes, so much like her fathers.

"Of course, Rosie" he said with a smile and a disbelieving look at Hermione, who was currently hanging Rose's winter clothes up on the hooks by the door. "Where do you want to wash your hands" Gingerly, like approaching a wild animal, Rose's tiny hand grabbed hold of Fred's index finger and she began tugging him gently towards the kitchen sink that Hermione had pointed her towards.

"I cant weach" she said when she reached the kitchen, her head not even reaching the top of the cabinets.

"Well then" Fred said with a faux thinking face one "Looks like Uncle Freddie's going to have to help you out" he said and Rose nodded at him, her thumb still in her mouth. Well okay then" he said, rolling his eyes playfully.

Before she could react, Fred had seized Rose by the waist, lifting her up into the air and making her squeal with delight, her giggles echoing around the flat, warming the atmosphere greatly.

"Let's get those hands washed" Fred said, resting Rose on his hip where then proceeded to gaze up into his face adorningly.

"I think she likes you" Hermione said from her spot by the table as she watched Fred turn on the taps, making sure the temperature was okay before helping Rose to wash her tiny hands.

"You think so?" he asked cheerfully, drying Rose's hands on the nearest tea towel before carrying the little girl over to the dinner table.

"Yeah" Hermione said, nodding slightly "It took her at least two weeks until she'd let Draco go near her" she said "Probably because he was too snobby to go near her before then, Draco has a thing for dirt and germs, and little children, they're crawling with dirt, apparently" Hermione said with a shrug.

"Well, I'm not Draco" Fred said, placing Rose carefully in the chair whose height Hermione had raised so that Rose could sit there. She's transfigured the silverware into plastic cutlery for Rose, and also changed a glass of orange juice into a sippy-cup.

"She's a messy eater" Hermione apologised as Rose began to stuff her face with chocolate pancake, splattering her yellow dress with the staining substance.

"That's fine" Fred said amusedly, sitting down at the head of the table, opposite where Rose was sat and next t Hermione. "Oh, Hermione" he said, and she turned towards him, he reached out with his hand, gently rubbing his thumb across her cheek, making her freeze instantly. "You had flour on your face" he said with a smirk, making Hermione blush and become very interested in her strawberry pancake.

"So, Dad told me the Ministry were looking for your parents" He said quietly, watching Rose scoffing her pancakes opposite him, blissfully unaware of the subject at hand. "How'd that go?"

"They're, well, they're gone" Hermione said solemnly, looking straight at her plate.

"They, urm, they died?" Fred asked awkwardly, almost choking on his bite of syrup pancake.

"No, they're not dead" Hermione said plainly, avoiding his eyes rather obviously "They just too far gone. They Said that any attempt to remove the charm would cause too much damage to their minds, so I let them get on with their lives" she said with a shurg, one Fred knew to be from false carelessness. "They don't need me anyway."

"Hermione" Fred said sincerely, his hand landing atop where hers lay still next to her plate. She looked up at him, her eye's stinging slightly. "Everyone needs you, you're a hero" he said with a bright smile, one she half-heartedly returned.

An hour later and Rose had eaten two and a half pancakes, Hermione three and Fred had polished off the other five and a half, having deciding to eat the remaining half of Rose's syrup pancake. Fred and Rose were now sat on the sofa, Rose excitedly showing Fred her colouring book while Hermione did the washing up, despite Fred's insisted notion that it was his home. Hermione would have used her wand to charm the washing up like she did when she was in a rush, but she found the soft lapping of the warm, soapy water theraputic, a routine she was steadily growing used to.

"So, what do you want to do for the rest of the day?" Fred asked Hermione from over the back of the sofa as Rose began colouring once again.

"Oh, I've not really thought about it" Hermione said "Why? Did you have something in mind?" she said shyly, watching as Fred's smirk turned into a smile.

"Well, you and Rose are perfectly welcome to stay for a sleepover" Fred said only half joking "Because your cooking, Hermione, is superb, and I would love to experience it again" She laughed at his notion, swatting him playfully on the arm as Rose let out a slight yawn.

"I'm not becoming your personal cook" she said, smiling slightly. "But, perhaps you could come for dinner at our's next time?" she said, not expecting Fred to agree.

"Brilliant! I'm working tomorrow, so how's Monday night?" he said and Hermione didn't know how to reply. "What do you think, Rosie?" Fred said, tickling Rose's chin "Do you want me to come round on Monday?" to which Rose began to squeal and nod enthusiastically, just like the little girl she was.

"Pwease, Mumma, Pwease!" she begged, jumping from the sofa and grabbing onto Hermione's jeans.

"Well, if that's what Uncle Fred wants to do" she said, slightly bewildered by how easy it was to cooperate with Fred. Whenever she tried to arrange something with Ron it was like trying to arrange a party with a sheep, totally pointless and creating more stress than it was worth. "Looks like it's a date" Hermione said, picking Rose up form the floor, resting her on her hip, kissing the girl on the cheek.

Carrying Rose, Hermione sat with Fred on the sofa, letting the little girl snuggle between the two of them for the nap she no doubt needed.

"She's tired her self out, look." Hermione said, watching as Rose rested her hand on Fred's lap, her thumb in her mouth and her eyes closed.

"Hermione, you've got to come back." Fred said suddenly, leaving Hermione taken aback for a second. "If not for your sake, or even for everyone else's, then for hers" Fred said, his hand gently stroking the fuzzy red hair of the already sleeping girl. "She needs her family, Hermione, She needs her dad" he said.

"Her dad didn't want her." Hermione spat, the bitter memories of Ron's words echoing in her head "He made that very clear"

"But do you really think he meant it?" Fred asked, his brother was a certified prat, every one knew that, but he wasn't cruel.

"I've been Ron's friend since I was eleven years old" Hermione said sadly "I've seen at his best and I've seen him at his worst, and he'd spoken to me like that only once before, and that was during the war. I forgave him then because it wasn't his fault, we were being manipulated, we all were." She sighed deeply, staring up at the perfect white ceiling "But this time, he didn't have any excuses. The things he said to me, the things he said about Rose, they were despicable. The Ron I knew - the Ron I loved - would never had said such things, he would have torn the world apart to see his daughter; clearly he wasn't the man I thought he was."

"I'm sorry about you having to do this alone, Hermione" Fred said solemnly "I always think that I should have woken up before you left, I should have stopped you, but I let you go and you've raised this little girl all by yourself, not even Ginny could raise her son herself, she was always asking Mum for help. Just come back, please"

"I can't, Fred" she said, "Can't you see that I cant, not yet at least. I will one day, that's a promise, but you can't tell anyone you found me, not yet"

"I promise" he said, his blue eyes full of sincerity as he stared at Hermione, she smiled at him sweetly before resting her head on his shoulder, shutting her own eyes for a second. She felt Fred kiss her forehead and smiled, revelling in the moment. Could she have this one day? A husband with her and her daughter, a happy family.

Just as she began to drift off into sleep, there was a loud crack, followed by a aggitated, ranting voice, one that was far too familiar for Hermione's liking.


	4. One Day We'll Reveal The Truth

**Disclaimer - I dont own Harry Potter or the characters within it, I only own this plot. Thank you for the reveiw, and the advice :)**

**I know that I make a few grammatical errors, and I am in te process of looking for a proof ready, so please just bare with. **

**Woooo, another update!**

**Please review!**

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><p><em>"Chasing visions of our futures,<em>

_One day we'll reveal the truth"_

_Daughter, Youth._

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><p>"That woman is unbelievable, Fred, absolutely unbelievable! And I'll tell you what, she doesn't half like putting the blame on me. If I had a galleon for every time she said "Well if you'd just done this"" George said in an incredibly bad imitation of his wife as he tore his coat off. He currently had his back to Fred, Hermione and Rose, meaning he still didn't know they were there, but as soon as he turned around the truth would be revealed. "I'd be as good as a Malfoy! And I'll tell you another-"<p>

George turned around then, ready to point at Fred, to complain about Angelina some more, maybe to start raving about something Fred did wrong, but as soon as his eyes fell upon the brunette on the sofa, he froze.

"Hermione!" He exclaimed his eye's wide, staring between Hermione and Fred with nothing more than shock and surprise. "Oh my Merlin, that's really you isn't it" he said as Hermione got awkwardly to her feet, shifting out from under Rose's legs.

"This is brilliant!" He exclaimed, throwing his arms around Hermione's waist, lifting her off the floor in a frightfully tight hug before spinning around wildly, Hermione trying extremely hard not to squeal. "Wait a tick" He said, dropping Hermione, swaying slightly, back on her feet. "This is you right? This isn't a prank?" He said, eyeing Fred suspiciously as he too tried to untangle himself from the little girls clutches to stand with the fellow grownups.

"It's really me" Hermione said shyly, but smiling at George all the same. George's face cracked into a wide grin before he, once again, wrapped his arms around Hermione, holding her like he held Ginny after the war.

"Merlin's beard, Hermione" He said wondrously. "It really is you! We've all missed you so much. Is this it then? Are you back for good?" George asked, his goofy smile still on his face as he held her by the shoulders.

"Oh, I don't know about that." Hermione said awkwardly, wringing her wrist.

"How can you not know?" George asked, looking at her like she was some kind of rare exotic animal.

"George-"

"No, Fred, I want to know." George said, looking pointedly at his twin.

"Can we at least do this in the kitchen?" Hermione said, rubbing her temples, knowing George clearly hadn't noticed the sleeping child. George looked confused for a second, but he shrugged and sauntered into kitchen all the same, Fred and Hermione following after him with nervous looks on their faces.

"Hermione, where have you been?" George asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he leant back against the kitchen counter, looking at Hermione with fascination.

"I've been living in London." She said shyly, George's eye's widening.

"You can't have, we'd have known." He replied, looking at Fred for back up, but Fred face just looked tired.

"Well, no." Hermione said "I've been working in a bookshop to get the money I need and I've not had a lot of contact with other witches and wizards" she said, staring interestedly at her own shoes, one of the laces having come undone.

"Working?" George said, dumbstruck "Why would you, Hermione Granger, need to work after the grant the ministry gave you for your part in the war. Ron's still living off of his." George said, not noticing how Hermione flinched minutely at his name, but Fred noticed, he always did.

"Well, I used some of that grant on the wedding, and then Ron and I split the cost of our home and then I gave a lot of it to charities."

"How much did you give to charity?" George said, eyeing her sceptically. She shifted awkwardly.

"Half of it" She mumbled "And I put some of it towards SPEW" she continued, even quieter this time. "The rest is in my vault, but that's only or emergencies."

"So you've been working for your money?" He asked, trying to clear the air.

"I wanted to make my own way in the world, earn my own money, not spend the rest of my life living off a grant I was given for fighting in a war when I was eighteen. Not all of us want to live like Ronald." she said, giving George a challenging look, begging him to try and contradict her.

"Okay, good for you" George said, holding up his hands in mock surrender, his eyes flittering towards Fred, who was currently sniggering under his breath. "But my question remains. Are you back now, for good?"

"Not yet, no" Hermione said, trying not to look at George's disappointed blue eyes.

"Why not?" George asked, sounding oddly like a child, causing Hermione to smile sweetly at him, her soft maternal smile that melted Fred's heart.

"Because I have things to sort out first, things to prepare." Hermione said carefully, trying not to arouse any suspicion from George, no more than she had to at least.

"Like Wh-" but George was but off by the very thing Hermione was trying to avoid suspicion of.

"Mumma?" Rose said, her soft, round face peeking over the edge of the sofa towards the three adults, all of whom looked back at her.

"Hey, Rose" Hermione said, trying to talk through the nervous lump in her throat from seeing George's expression. "Did you have a good sleep?" She asked and Rose nodded, putting her thumb in her mouth, reaching out to her mother with the other one.

Walking towards the couch, Hermione wrapped her arms around the little girl's middle, lifting her up to sit on her hip.

"George" Fred said, laying a hand on his twins shoulder as Hermione walked back towards the kitchen, carrying Rose with her. "You remember, Rose."

"I – But – Rose?" George stuttered, staring at the little girl with the frizzy red hair and round blue eyes. "As in _The_ Rose?"

"Rose" Hermione said tentatively, watching the little girl's shy eyes. "This is your Uncle George"

"She's beautiful" George said, his voice quiet, spoken on a breath. Rose's eyes were slitting between Fred and George, clearly trying to decipher what was happening. After a while she gave up, burying her head into the crook of Hermione's neck.

"I should probably be going" Hermione said, feeling Rose's soft breaths against her neck "It's getting late and Rose needs to be in bed" she said hastily, turning back towards the door, grabbing hold of Rose's coat.

"I'll show you out" Fred said, eyeing his twin. But George was staring wide eyed at the little girl with the red hair, wondering just what it was Angelina had been so scared about.

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><p>Fred came back up the stairs a few minutes later alone, Hermione and Rose having left. He saw George sat on the sofa with his head in his hands, clearly exhausted.<p>

"You okay, Georgie?" Fred asked ,watching as his twin jumped slightly.

"Yeah, just been a long day." He said, rubbing his face. Fred nodded in understanding.

"So, what's happening with you and Angelina?" Fred asked, landing on the sofa next to his twin.

"Oh, that. Well, She's pregnant" George said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"What? George that's brilliant!" Fred exclaimed, clapping his twin bother on the shoulder, confused by his lack of excitement.

"No, it's not brilliant" George said blandly.

"Why? You've always wanted to have kids; ever since you met Teddy you've been as broody as a hen." Fred said, eyeing his twin confused.

"And I do, Fred." George pressed, staring at the floor, his hands knotted in front of him. "But Angelina, she wants to get rid of it before any one finds out."

"That insane!" Fred shouted, suddenly on his feet "You cant just get rid of it, it's your child."

"Don't you think I know that." George said meekly "but it's what she wants to do. She's not ready to be a mum."

"And Hermione was?" Fred suddenly spat making George jump. "She was twenty years old, Angelina is twenty-seven, I'm sure she can manage."

"Don't bring Hermione into this." George said agitatedly "I've just seen her for the first time in over two and a half years."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that." Fred said apologetically "But this is a big deal, George. You need to tell someone."

"So is Hermione coming back, have you told anyone about that?" George asked, his eyebrow raised.

"She made me promise not to." Fred said dejectedly, sitting back down on the sofa beside his twin. "Merlin, this is so screwed up." Fred said, running a hand through his hair.

"I'll drink to that" George said with a half hearted chuckle. "So, what do I say to Angie?" George asked, his voice sounding sad and worried.

"Tell her the truth. That she can do it and you'll help her. You may be useless but I think you can manage that" Fred said, earning him a bash on the shoulder from his twin, making them both smile.

"So, what do we do about Hermione?" George asked, giving Fred a stern look. "We have to tell someone she's back; you've seen what's happened to everyone."

"She'll come back in her own time; we can't force her to do anything." George nodded in understanding. Before either twin could say anything else, a small brown owl fluttered in through the open window, landing lightly on George's leg, a hastily written note in its beak.

Taking the letter with shaking fingers, George looked worriedly at Fred, the owl taking off back into the cold night.

"It's Angie" George said, looking at his hastily written name on the parchment. After an encouraging nod from Fred, he unfolded the letter, scanning his eyes quickly over the short note. "She wants me to come home, says she wants to talk." George said, his voice sounding a lot older than Fred had ever heard it.

"You've got to go, mate." Fred said, receiving a slow nod from George in return.

"I know." George said, getting to his feet, the letter still in his hand, and grabbing his coat, throwing it back on. "And I promise to keep Hermione a secret" He said.

"Cheers"

"Wish me luck" George said, his coat zipped up, his eyes looking terrified.

"You don't need it, mate." Fred smiled and with a loud crack, George disappparated, leaving Fred alone in his home.

With a sigh, Fred reached towards the wooden coffee table's only drawer, tugging it open with substantial effort. Inside was a whole collection of things. Unread books and quills, a few knuts, some discarded sweets from thshop below along with loads of other merchandise, and a perfectly folded piece of parchment.

Pulling it out, Fred read over the cursive script on the front that was his own name, and with memories of the beautiful teenage girl, Fred read over what he had thought would be her final goodbye.


	5. It's A Waste Of Time

**Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter or the characters within it, nor do I own this song. I only own this plot, and maybe one or two characters of my own making. **

**Please review!**

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><p><em>"Collecting names of the lovers that went wrong.<em>_"_

_Daughter, Youth._

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><p>"Will you wake up already!" Hermione shouted, banging her fist against the wood of Draco's door, receiving nothing but grumbling in response. "Draco, I'm warning you. I'll come in there!" She said, but heard no sound of movement. "Three." She said, the same way she would when Rose wouldn't do what she was asked.<p>

"I'm not a child!" She heard him shout grumpily from the other side of the door, still clearly not getting ready. Rose who was already washed and dressed was standing by Hermione, her tiny hands over her mouth as she giggled.

"Two!" Hermione said louder, smiling down at her daughter. There was a flurry of movement from the other side of the door, stumbling and cursing mostly, but it was a sign that Draco was awake.

Just as Hermione was about to say 'one' the door opened to reveal a very disgruntled looking Draco scowling down at her, his platinum blonde sticking out ad odd angles. He was a lot taller than he once was, standing at least a head and a half taller than her. Smiling sweetly up at him, Hermione spoke.

"I have to be at work in ten minutes, Rose needs her breakfast - there is cereal in the cupboard - and after that your free to do what you want" Hermione recited, watching as Draco yawned loudly. "That's within reason though. That means no-" but Draco cut her off.

"No broomsticks, no levitating, not too much junk food and no lady friends." He said having already heard the list a thousands times before.

"Good" Hermione replied, grabbing her denim jacket with frayed holes from the hook and throwing it on. "I'll be back by five to make dinner, any problems then owl me." She said, wrapping her scarf around her neck and pulling her hair back into a haphazard and scruffy ponytail. "Rose, Mummy's going now!" she shouted and listened to the little pitter-patter of tiny feet on the floorboards, watching as the small girl with the fiery hair appeared from the living room archway.

"Mumma!" She said and Hermione crouched to her height, wrapping the girl in a tight hug, listening to her squeals of protest.

"I'll see you later, sweetheart" Hermione said, kissing Rose's forehead "If you're lucky, Draco might take you to the park again." She said and Rose's blue eyes widened excitedly.

"Can we, Dwaco? Can we?" Rose said, grabbing onto Draco's jumper and tugging.

"Maybe later." He said "First let's say goodbye to Mummy, and then we'll eat our breakfast." He picked Rose up and sat her gently on his hip, letting her tug slightly at his blonde hair. "Have a nice day, Hermione." Draco said with a smirk, clearly still not thrilled about having been woken up before noon.

"I'll see you both later" She said grabbing her keys from the bowl. "Don't have too much fun without me!" She said and shut the door, making her way down the stairs of the apartment building. Hermione and Draco lived on the third floor, next door to a lovely, muggle Hispanic couple who'd just had a baby of their own.

The streets at this time of the morning were quiet, only a few people still on their way to work. Wrapping her coat closer to herself, Hermione began the short walk towards her work. Living away from central London meant that Hermione could avoid the severe hustle and bustle of the early mornings and could stroll down the pavement without being shoved around. Her first flat, however, did not have that kind of luxury.

Passing a small bakery, Hermione grabbed her self a coffee and a muffin before turning one last corner to her job. The front door to the _Yellowing Pages_ was already unlocked meaning Summer, the owners daughter who worked at the shop with Hermione, was already in.

"Morning, Summer." Hermione said once she reached the counter where Summer was sat, her long legs up on the desk, an old book in her hands.

"Mornin' 'Mione!" she said, exceptionally brightly, the way Summer seemed to speak despite how many hours she'd been awake. "How's Draco?" She asked quickly. Summer was a very pretty girl, with light blonde hair and very dark eyes. She was tall, slim and not much younger than Hermione was having just turned twenty-one, and it was no secret that she had a crush on Draco.

"He's good. So am I. Thanks for asking" Hermione said, rolling her eyes and taking a seat next to Summer.

"Oh." Summer said, blushing furiously, quickly pushing her black rimmed glasses up her nose. "Sorry, Hermione." She said with a shy smile.

"That's okay." Hermione said "Has anyone been in today?" Hermione asked.

"Um, yeah. This little red head came in with three little boys, but she only walked in, looked at me and left." Summer said with a shrug and Hermione took a large bite out of her blueberry muffin before gulping down the scolding coffee.

"Merlin." She said, gagging slightly "That is awful." And Summer Laughed.

"I put a pot on about half an hour ago" she said, dog-earing the page of her book and setting it aside "Do you want some?" She asked, already ready rising to her feet and smoothing out the creases in her blue skirt.

"That would be wonderful, Summer." Hermione said and Summer laughed "You're an angel!" Just as Summer disappeared into the back room where they kept their filed and their coffee machine, a large grey owl crashed onto the floor in front of the desk.

Jumping up quickly and checking that Summer was preoccupied, Hermione raced out from behind the counter, crouching down in front of the owl that was weakly getting back onto it's feet, hooting strangely.

"Errol!" Hermione said in a scared whisper "Oh, Merlin. This isn't good."

"You alright, Hermione?" Summer called from the back room. Thinking fast while also holing the swaying owl steady, Hermione replied.

"Yeah, some books fell down is all. Just picking them up."

"It's those bloody shelves!" Summer called back as Hermione pulled the letter from Errol's leg. "I keep telling dad to fix them but he says he doesn't have the money." Once that letter was pulled free, Errol clumsily flapped its wings, dropping a few feathers before taking off out of the open window again. "Personally, I think it's because he's too busy buying stuff for Florence to even care – What've you got there?" Summer said, peering over the edge of the counter, two mugs in her hands, her blonde hair curtaining her face as her large glasses began to slip down her nose.

"I just got a letter, that's all." Hermione said, standing up so fast her head swam slightly. "Ooo, is that one mine?" Hermione said, taking the steaming mug form Summer who rolled her eyes.

"So, does Draco have a girlfriend?" Summer asked shyly from behind her steaming mug of black coffee.

"Um, not that I know of." Hermione said, turning the letter over in her hands, too anxious to open it. Which of the Weasley's would send her a letter, only Fred and George knew she was back and they would both just apparate to her if they needed something, surely.

"Do you think I should ask him on a date?" She said, her voice growing quieter with every word. Before Hermione could answer, the bell above the door chimed, and with a frightened squeal Summer ducked beneath the counter. "Pretend I'm not here!" She said in a hushed whisper making Hermione smile.

"Hey, Hermione" Draco said, holding tightly onto Rose's hand. "We were on our way to the park when this little monkey," Draco said, lifting Rose up onto his hip "wanted to stop by"

"Hey, Rose" Hermione said, reaching out for her daughter who remained clinging onto Draco but was smiling widely.

"Um, Hermione." Draco said quietly to Hermione's ear. "Why is Summer hiding behind the counter?" He asked and Hermione burst out laughing.

"Summer, he knows you're there. You might as well get up." Hermione said, still laughing as Summer emerged slowly, a bright blush covering her pretty features.

"Um, Hi Draco" Summer said, becoming very interested with a pen on the desk.

"Hey Summer" He said, raising an eyebrow at Hermione. Rolling her eyes, Hermione began making strange signs with her hands while Summer wasn't looking, trying to map out the situation for him and hoping he would get the point. Since his grey eye's went from confused to wide and surprised extremely quickly, Hermione assumed he understood.

"Summer," Hermione said, "I'm just going to take Rose in the back and show her a book, are you okay here?" Hermione said, walking around the counter and taking the oblivious child from his arms. Summer was about to object but Hermione cut her off "Brilliant, Draco, I'll be back in a minute, maybe two." She gave him a quick wink and Summer a thumbs up before disappearing into the back room, handing Rose the picture book she so loved.

She couldn't hear any conversations from back here, only a few words of off hand conversations. When she was sure they were done, Hermione emerged, Rose with the book in hand still on her hip and surveyed the situation. Draco was smiling slightly and Summer was a very bright shade of pink, her blonde hair pushed frantically behind her ears as she tried to look anywhere apart from at someone.

"Well, there's that done." Hermione said "You'd best be going; you don't want to not get a swing." Hermione said, kissing he end of Rose's nose, making her giggle. "Have a nice day, Draco." Hermione said, passing Rose back. They all bid farewell, Draco and Summer rather awkwardly, and then they separated.

"So?" Hermione said.

"I'll kill you." Summer said, sipping her coffee.

"What happened?" She asked again and Summer smiled behind her mug.

"We have a date tomorrow night." Summer half squealed, something that was very out of character for her, and Hermione beamed. "Congratulations! It's about time." She said and Summer smiled.

"So who was your letter from" Summer asked, sipping her coffee.

"Oh!" Hermione said, only just remembering the letter that was sat, unopened on the keyboard. "I haven't read it yet."

"Well I won't stop you" Summer said, placing her now empty mug on the desk "I have to reorganise the shelves upstairs anyway." Hermione nodded, knowing the shelves didn't need organising at all, but that Summer just wanted some time to smile and squeal.

"Go ahead." Hermione said, looking at the letter. She heard Summer's footsteps retreat up the stairs and slowly, as though afraid something awful was going to spill out of it, she opened up the letter and read it.

_Hermione, _

_Don't get mad, but Ginny knows now. George told Angelina about it when they spoke last night. _

_It wasn't intentionally, he swears. But Angelina's told Ginny and she is fuming. I took Errol so she can't send her letter just yet, but it'll be there soon._

_Just a heads up._

_See you tonight for dinner, hope you haven't forgotten. _

_Fred. _

So she had been wrong, it was Fred who sent the letter, but now was the next issue, when was Ginny's letter was going to show up.

After about ten minutes of anxious waiting with Summer still upstairs, another owl flew in, this time a snowy owl. It wasn't Hedwig, she'd been killed trying to protect Harry, no, this was the owl that Ginny had bought Harry as a replacement three years ago. He'd been upset at first, claiming no owl would replace Hedwig, but he'd gotten used to this one all the same. Moody it what he'd named it, mostly because it was constantly grumpy, but also because it had two different eyes, just like Mad-eye Moody had. One blue, one amber. That meant this letter was the one Hermione had been dreading.

Once Hermione took the letter from the owl's leg, it gave her a rather vicious nip before taking off out the open window that it had entered. With shaking hands (One of which was now bleeding) Hermione opened the letter. Half expecting it to explode in her hands.

_To, Hermione. _

_Angelina's told me everything. _

_I don't want an explanation by owl, meet me for lunch today in Diagon Alley at half twelve. _

_ Don't be late. _

_Ginny._

Sighing Hermione dropped the letter, looking instead at the clock on the wall. It was twelve now, meaning she had half an hour to leave and meet Ginny. Standing up, her legs a little wobbly, Hermione grabbed her scarf and jacket, throwing the both on.

"Summer?" she shouted up the wooden stair case, waiting for the younger girl to appear. Sure enough, a few second later Hermione saw her pretty face pop over the banister, her hair tucked behind her ears.

"Yeah?" she called down, her glasses sliding down her nose already.

"I'm going for lunch now, I'll be back by half one" she called up the stairs, receiving a thumbs up from the girl.

Stepping back onto the street, Hermione weighed up her options. She could go and meet Ginny and face any wrath that the younger witch might have in store for her. She could forget about it and not go, pretend she hadn't got the letter and wait a few hours to face the wrath of the girl a little bit later. Or finally, she could move country, change her name and hope Ginny and her wrath didn't find her.

With the last option seeming a little impractical, Hermione began walking in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron, all the while wondering which hex she was going to use to kill George Weasley.

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><p>Once again, Diagon Alley was quiet. Clearly everyone was either at work or school. The sun was hidden behind thick grey clouds, each one sneering with the promise of rain as Hermione made her way down the cobblestone street, looking every which was for a flash of red hair.<p>

She finally spotted Ginny outside a small café opposite _Florence__ and Fortescue's Ice cream_. Her red hair was down around her shoulders beneath a green bobble hat, a matching scarf around her neck tucked neatly into her black coat.

Having obviously of heard footsteps from someone else in the street, Ginny looked up. If she was surprised to see Hermione standing before her, she didn't show it. She stood up slowly, walking over to Hermione who was currently frozen where she stood and looked at her coolly. The two girls looked at each other for a brief, awkward silence that Hermione broke.

"Hey, Gin." Hermione said, trying a weak smile. It all happened very quickly. One moment Hermione was smiling weakly at the red headed girl, the next she was clutching her stinging cheek and listening to Ginny's shouts filling the empty alley.

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?" she shouted, her face growing steadily redder "TWO YEARS. TWO YEARS WITHOUT A SINGLE WORD FROM YOU, NOT EVEN A LETTER OF EXPLANATION! I WAS SAT AT HOME ALL DAY WAITING FOR YOU TO COME AROUND AND TALK TO ME AND YOU NEVER DID!" Hermione could see the anger on the girls face as she stared at her silently, but she could also see the tears that were slowly beginning to pool in her dark eyes. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU DID TO HARRY? WHAT YOU DID TO MUM AND TO FRED? DID YOU EVEN CARE?"

"Of course I did, Ginny." The red headed girl froze, clearly stunned from hearing the girls voice, seeing the large red handprint she had left on her face. Next thing Hermione knew, Ginny had wrapped her arms around Hermione's shoulders, pulling her into a slightly painful hug, just like the one's her mother gave and was silently sobbing on her shoulder.

"I've missed you, Hermione. I've missed you so much" Hermione was startled, Ginny didn't cry, Hermione was the girl that cried, Ginny always kept it together. What was happening? Was everything beginning to fall apart?

"I'm so sorry, Ginny." Hermione said once the other girl had pulled back, wiping her face furiously.

"Sorry? I think it's going to take a bit more than sorry." Ginny said laughing slightly, but Hermione's bones felt suddenly very weak, like they could no longer hold her weight and would topple any moment. "Any way, I got us some coffee." Ginny said, sitting back down, indicating for Hermione to do the same.

She obliged with shaking limbs and sat opposite Ginny who was fiddling with the handle of her coffee mug.

"Where have you been and what have you been doing this whole time?" Ginny asked, her bare hands wrapped around the coffee mug for warmth. Sam old Ginny, quick and straight to the point.

"Here." Hermione said "I live London with Rose, I work in a book shop." Hermione said with a shrug.

"I know you work in a book shop." Ginny said, rolling her eyes "I went by looking for you earlier"

"You did?" Hermione asked, and then it clicked, a red haired woman with three boys. "That was you. Summer saw you come in this morning" Hermione said, slapping a hand over her face.

"Summer? That was the young witch behind the counter."

"Witch?" Hermione asked, scoffing into her coffee "Summer's a muggle"

"No, she's Sturgis Podmore's niece, or third cousin, or something I think. Her mother died in the battle and her father works at the ministry. I guess he owns a bookshop too. She's Verity's - you must remember Verity," Ginny said and Hermione nodded, remembering all to well the frightfully smiling woman who worked for the twins. "Well, Summer's her younger sister, a few years below me I think."

"How did I not know that?" Hermione said, more to herself than anyone else. The two witches were nothing alike, at least not in personality. Sure they both had blonde hair and extraordinarily dark eyes, but where Verity was all sexy charm and smiles, Summer was sweet, shy and quiet. it wasn't hard to figure out which one Hermione preferred.

"Mostly because you didn't socialize with many other wizards or witches. But disappearing for two years will do it too." Ginny said, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Wait a second!" Hermione said. "Three boys. You have three sons?" Hermione said and Ginny smiled happily.

"Yep" she said, putting her mug down. "Teddy, who's five now, James who's four and my youngest son, Albus. He's three next month" She said, ticking each one off on her hand.

"You had another son?" Hermione said with a smile, remembering how Ginny had been pregnant when she left. "And you named him Albus?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow, Ginny waved a dismissive hand.

"Harry wanted the name, said that Dumbledore was a great man, and I agree. It's the middle name that bothers me" She said.

"Merlin, what's his middle name?" Hermione asked, intrigued.

"Severus" Ginny said sulkily. "My third son is named after Snape." Guilty, Hermione spat out bit of the coffee she had in her mouth, making both of the witches giggle.

"Merlin, I've missed this." Hermione said, mopping the coffee off of the table with a nearby napkin.

"Me too." Ginny said and the two girls lapsed into a comfortable silence. "So, how's Rose?" Ginny said breaking their peace.

"Oh, she's great, she's walking and talking and making a mess. Eats like a Weasley too. " Hermione said with a laugh at her little girls antics.

"When are you brining her to see mum?" Ginny asked boldly, not taking her dark eyes off of Hermione "Because you have to come back now, too many of us know where you are."

"Ginny, please don't do this to me, not you as well." Hermione pleaded.

"No. I know now, Fred and George know and so does Angelina. Now I can bet you one of us is going to blab to mum, so it's best that you tell her yourself." Ginny said, pointing a finger at Hermione.

"I will come back, Gin" Hermione said earnestly. "Just not yet, I need time to sort things out before I just turn up. Imagine the strain that would put on Rose, She's grown up with only me and Draco for-"

"Woah! Back up. Draco, as in, Draco Malfoy?" Ginny asked, leaning across the table, her eyebrows threatening to disappear beneath her hat.

"I'd best be getting back to work." Hermione said, checking her watch boldly. "Summer will wonder where I've gone."

"I don't think so!" Ginny said, grabbing Hermione's arm before she could get up. "You live with Draco Malfoy?"

"Um, yeah, was that not mentioned?" She asked shyly, feigning innocence.

"Um, no, I think you over looked that bit." Ginny said, sitting back in her chair. "Now explain."

"I can't, Gin, I really do need to get back to work" Hermione said pleadingly. Ginny seemed to think this over for a second, her arms crossed over her chest as she stared at Hermione who was sitting very awkwardly in her seat.

"Fine." She said, and Hermione breathed a sigh of relieve, getting ready to stand back up and leave "But you're coming round tomorrow and we're going to talk properly." Ginny said, pointing at Hermione threateningly.

"But I have work tomorrow." Hermione reasoned.

"Call in sick."

"But I'll have Rose with me" She said again, pleading that Ginny would just drop it.

"Tuff. Bring her along; I'm sure the boy's will be thrilled." She said with an unapologetic shrug. "Two and a half years I've been without my best friend, now I've got her back and I'm not letting her off so easily" Hermione sighed.

"Fine, I'll stop by on Thursday, but that's the earliest I can make it" Ginny eyed the older witch sceptically.

"Fine." she said grudgingly "But you'd better not bail on me." Ginny said, pointing at Hermione again, who nodded quickly in return.

Standing up, Hermione made to go, leaving Ginny alone at the café. She was sat with her arms crossed against her chest, not watching Hermione as she left. With a sigh, Hermione began walking back down the cobbled street, trying so hard not to glance back at the red headed witch that was her friend.

Just as Hermione was about to pass through the gate to the Leaky Caudron, and back out onto the streets of muggle London, she heard hurried, running footsteps and someone shouting after her.

"Hermione! Hermione, wait!" Turning slowly, Hermione saw nothing more than a flash of red before a great weight ploughed into her, knocking her back a few steps.

"Ginny!" Hermione shrieked, hugging the witch in return.

"I really have missed you." She said by Hermione's ear, both of the girls being the same height.

"I've missed you too, Gin" Hermione said feeling a lump in her throat. "I really have" and with that, the girls parted ways, Ginny apparating back to the burrow where her mother and her children eagerly awaited her return.

But Hermione didn't return to work, she apparated instead back to her shared apartment that was currently empty of its occupants. She sat down on the sofa and put her head in her hands, anxiously awaiting Draco and Rose's return, wondering where it was exactly that her life got so complicated.

* * *

><p>"Just be civil, that's all I'm asking" Hermione said from the kitchen. She was currently using her wand to stir three saucepans at once, the sink was charmed to wash up whatever she threw there and she was slowly levitating four plates out onto the small table. Draco meanwhile stood out of Hermione's range, watching the whole display with a dubious look on his face.<p>

"Yes, but why?" Draco said, sounding comically like a small child, but Hermione wasn't in the mood to laugh.

"Because, Draco" she said coldly, but it wasn't pure "Fred means a lot to me and I thought it would be a good chance for him to see what I've been doing all these years" She reasoned, pulling her hair frantically out of her face.

"And me sitting down to dinner with him and making polite conversation is going to do that, how exactly?" He asked, raising a pale eyebrow.

"Draco, please, just help me this once and I'll never ask anything of you again." Hermione pleaded, looking over her shoulder slightly at the still unconvinced wizard.

"You don't ask anything of me anyway. " He said bluntly.

"All the more reason for you to help!"

"Fine!" he said, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "What do I have to do?" he asked.

"Just be civil with him, nice even." Hermione said, taking one pan off the hob, leaving the others to cook.

"What in Merlin's name are you cooking?" Draco asked, peering over Hermione's shoulder, but she didn't reply. He could easily understand why she was being so irritable, the heat from the kitchen was sweltering, and it made more sense to him now that she was only wearing her pyjama shorts and top.

Draco and Rose had returned home from the park to see Hermione bouncing around the kitchen, pulling ingredients out of cupboards and waving her wand around wildly, charming pots and pans to do this and that. It really was quite hectic.

"Right, Fred gets here in an hour." Hermione said, turning to face Draco. "I'm going to get washed and dressed and I need you to keep an eye on the food, I've charmed it to have a timer, it'll sort itself out, so that's no big deal, just take the pie out once it's done." She said before disappearing into the shared bathroom, the sound of water echoing out from behind the door instantly.

Forty-five minutes later, Hermione was ready. She emerged from her room doing the clasp up on her watch and wearing a pair of slightly faded blue jeans that clung tightly to her legs and a dark blue blouse made of a strange material that seemed to float on the air, making the sleeves look more like wings. Her now dry hair was pulled back into a ponytail at the nape of her neck, pieces of her hair braided as they flowed into it. She wore no makeup or jewellery, but her face was slightly flushed form the showers heat.

"He'll be here soon." Hermione said, returning to the kitchen where she once again began twirling her wand at all manner of things. "Can you make sure Rose is still dressed?" Hermione asked, remembering how the little girl liked to wear her pyjama's around the house, the same way she did.

With a mock salute, Draco went off in search of the little girl, leaving Hermione with time to set the table before Rose came hurtling in or Fred turned up.

At Half seven on the dot, the fireplace roared to life, a dishevelled and soot covered Fred walking out of it.

"Still not used to that." He said to himself, brushing his clothes off slightly. "'Mione!" He beamed, wrapping the younger witch in a tight hug the moment he saw her.

"Nice to see you too." Hermione said once Fred released her, feeling as her face flushed. "Dinner's pretty much ready." She said, smiling brightly up at him. He truly was taller than she remembered, but maybe that was just her imagination.

Draco was taller than Hermione, that was clear, but Fred exceeded even that, standing at least a foot and a half taller than Hermione, and that was including the extra height from her hair. They stared at each other for a while, standing so there was only a whisper of ait between them. Hermione could almost count the freckles on his nose and cheeks and see the flecks of turquoise in his sapphire eyes.

"So, urm, where's Rosie?" Fred asked, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand as he jumped away from her.

"Oh" Hermione said, trying to regain any composure she had left. "She's-"

"Here." Said a slightly chilled voice from behind Hermione. Spinning around quickly, almost loosing her footing in the process, Hermione saw Draco stood in the entrance to the living room; Rose sat on his hip with his platinum locks in her chubby hand. "She's right here." Draco said as his grey eyes narrowed slightly on Fred, glancing briefly at the flushed Hermione who was looking intently at her watch clasp.

"Fwed!" Rose exclaimed, releasing Draco's hair, much to his relief, and reaching out towards the man who still bore remnants of soot.

"Looks like somebody's made a new friend." Draco sneered, earning him a serious glare from Hermione. Rolling his eyes, he reluctantly pulled Rose from his grip, passing her over instead to the already irritating red-head before him.

"Hey, Rosie." Fred said, holding the smiling little girl who was staring back at him with his brother's eyes. It was almost dreamlike. She had an angel's face, just like her mother, but her eyes were those of his idiot brother. "How've you been?" He asked, tickling the little girls freckled cheek, not seeing the sceptically protective look he received from Draco, nor the admiration in the look he received from Hermione.

"Shall we eat then?" Hermione asked, seeming to have caught herself staring at last. Fred nodded, carrying Rose with him towards the table that was neatly laid in the open space that was Draco and Hermione's Kitchen, living room and dinning room. Draco followed; his eye's scowling slightly at the back of the Weasley's head.

Dinner that night was a very quiet affair, with the exceptions of Hermione scolding Rose on her eating habits to which both of the men smirked, only to notice the other do it and return to glaring at one another. Hermione was sure she'd lost count of the amount of time's she'd rolled her eyes that night. Sure she'd asked Draco to be civil, but civility usually demanded some form of conversation, he merely looked like he was swallowing stink sap whenever he looked at Fred, which was likely what his words would have been like should they have been said.

At half eight, Hermione excused herself to put Rose to bed since it was already getting a bit too late for her and the excitement of the day had began to wane on her.

Once Rose was tucked in, having fallen asleep as soon as Hermione had pulled up the covers, she returned to the dinning room to see neither of the boys had moved. They both sat in their respective seats opposite each other, Fred's body slightly slumped, his elbows resting on the table (much to Hermione's disapproval) and Draco sat with his back rigid and straight, arms crossed over his chest. They were both eyeing one another with the same diluted loathing and scepticism. Hermione was serenely reminded of how Harry and Draco would sneer at each other back when they were children and neither could figure out a witty enough comeback, the thought made her smile.

"She's asleep." Hermione said, watching as the two men blinked up at her, seeming only to have realised she'd even left. "Feel free to let loose now." She said, rubbing her temples as she anticipated the questions she was about to face.

"Why him, 'Mione?" Fred said, pointing at Draco who audibly scoffed. "Of all the possible people, you chose him." He said incredulously, looking at Hermione who was gazing down at him form where she stood, leant against the wall.

"He is here, Weasel." Draco sneered, shifting so he was facing away, his arrogance grimace clear on his face.

"Like I didn't notice that, Ferret-boy." Fred said back kindly with a bite of harshness in his tone.

"Well I'm still wondering why Hermione, a woman of divine intelligence and manners, is delving into the depths that is the Weasley clan." Draco said nonchalantly.

"Did I hear you right?" Fred said, sitting back slightly, his eyebrow raised. "Did you, big-head Malfoy, compliment Hermione Granger?" He asked, ignoring Malfoy's uttered interruption of 'Mature' as Fred spoke.

"Believe it or not, Weaselby," Draco said scathingly, leaning forward with his hands clasped in front of him on the table. "But _some of us _have grown up since the war, not all of us can be as naïve to the ways of this world from hiding in their little hole, or what is it you call it?" He asked mockingly "A _Burrow." _He spat.

Fred's eyes were blazing, his nostrils flaring as the skin of his neck turned red. He placed his hands, palm down, on the wooden table, staring haltingly at Malfoy, his blue eye's meeting grey.

"We may not be the richest Family," Fred said, his voice colder than anyone had ever heard it as she glared daggers at Malofy. "But at least none of us are Deatheaters!" He spat, his words followed by the horrible scraping sound of chairs being pushed away briskly, Fred's one actually toppling over.

"That's enough!" Hermione said, just as the two men reached for there wands. "I said you could let loose," she said, standing between the two of them, one hand raised to each of them, letting them glare at one another over the top of her head. "But I will not let this result in violence. Now, wands away." She said, looking from one man to the other. Neither moved. "I said wands away!" she said again, more authoritive this time. Much to Hermione's surprise, it was Draco who put his wand back into his pocket first before tugging nervously at his sleeve. the sleeve covering the disgusting mark, but it was Fred who stopped glaring first.

"I'm sorry, Hermione." Draco said, stepping back slightly, a slightly shocked look covering his pale features.

"Thank you, Draco." Hermione said, dropping her arms before rounding on Fred. "And you," she said, pointing at him threateningly, receiving her a taken back expression from the red-haired man "Are not to use that foul word under my roof again. Swear at him by all means, but if I hear that disgusting word again, you wont step foot through that door again."

"I'm sorry, 'Mione." Fred said and he even had the decency to look guilty at his behaviour.

"That's okay, Fred." She said, dropping her arms with a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Now I have some wine hidden away-" She said, receiving an incredulous and betrayed look from Draco "Oh calm down, you know why I don't leave it lying around." Draco shrugged, seeming careless about the situation, but Hermione could see how he was tapping his fingertips together, even muttering slightly under his breath, his lips barely moving, let alone making a sound, but Hermione knew. His little problem had been a great challenge for them to overcome, but they were far better now because of it. "Now how about we sit down and talk this through like the adults we are." She said reasonably.

Fred nodded, staring pointedly at the floor. He wasn't willing to admit how much Hermione had sounded like his mother at that moment, she too had gone berserk when that word was so much at uttered under her roof, but of course it was understandable. Molly Weasley had nearly lost family members to those monsters; Merlin knows what Hermione had lost.

"Brilliant." She said once Draco had also agreed. "You boy's go sit in the living room, I'll get three glasses-"

"Three?" Draco burst out as Hermione turned to walk away. "Hermione you can't be serious?" He said ignoring the curious glances he was receiving from the Weasley who had already taken up a spot on the worn leather sofa.

"You don't have to if you don't want to." Hermione said, smiling at him, the maternal smile she wore so often nowadays. "You can have juice if you'd prefer?" she asked and Draco nodded before turning and sitting on the sofa, the opposite end to where Fred was sat. "Boys." She muttered under her breath, turning back to the kitchen to receive the drinks.

When she returned to where the two men were sat this time there was slight improvement. Instead of staring smoulderingly at one another, they seemed to have decided to avoid looking at each other entirely. Draco was currently fiddling with his perfectly kept nails as Fred seemed to be staring all around the apartment. Neither of them seemed to notice Hermione had re-joined them until she cancelled her levitation charm so harshly the glasses smacked against the coffee table with a thump.

"Hermione!" Draco said, startled by the cold liquid slopping onto his feet.

"I can tell that neither of you are going to grown up about this." She said, standing before the two men, her arms crossed over her chest. "So it seems I'm going to have to take this matter into my own hands."

"And how do you plan on doing that Granger?" Fred asked, raising an eyebrow at her and smirking boyishly. Hermione smirked, watching as the smile slipped from Fred's face, replaced instead with a dubious expression. Draco however, to his credit, remained stoic.

"Now, the two of you are going to have a proper conversation." Hermione said, causing Fred to looked at her strangely "That means no curses, no swearing, and no accusations." She said, ticking each one off with her fingers and looking pointedly between the two of them. "Now then - Fred, you first. Why don't you ask Draco something?" Hermione asked, perching herself carefully on the edge of the coffee table, taking a sip of wine as Fred scowled at her slightly.

"Well then, Malfoy." Fred said, his voice sounding like the name burnt his tongue, but he smiled all the same. "What is it you do nowadays? Still scaring children on a daily – OW – fine, I'm sorry." He said, rubbing his shin while Hermione looked on amusingly.

"Since you asked, Weasel-"

"Draco." Hermione said threateningly.

"_Weasley_." He added with a sneer "I work at the Ministry, a Potioneer, actually." He said with a proud voice, watching as the red headed man scoffed. "Problem Weasley?"

"Not at all." Fred ground out, watching Hermione grudgingly from the corner of his eye, trying to "Just wondering whether I should refuse my next flu potion from fear of being poisioned." He said, hiding his laugh by sipping his drink, Hermione glaring at him slightly. He winked.

"So, Draco why don't-" Hermione began, but Draco cut her off.

"So what exactly is it you do then, Weasley. Something thrilling and pointless I don't doubt." Draco sneered, sitting up straighter, looking down his nose at Fred who was still smirking.

"Since you asked, Malfoy." Fred said with a mock bow, imitating Malfoy's previous comment. "My twin and I run a very successful joke shop in Diagon Alley." Fred said, and Hermione couldn't help but notice how he puffed his chest out slightly, even when Draco scoffed.

"Still running that old dump." Draco said with a scoff, Fred seemed unaffected.

"We are. In fact, we were planning on testing out some new products soon. It would be great if you could help us out." Fred said, smiling innocently at Hermione, Draco looked dubious. "After all, it is customary to test new products on ferrets." He said, letting out a bark of laughter.

"That's it!" Draco said, jumping to his feet and drawing out his wand, Fred quickly following suit, the smile not leaving his face. "I've had enough of you and your mouth."

"Spend a lot of time watching my mouth, Malfoy?" Fred said, laughing slightly as Draco's eye's narrowed. "I should tell you I don't swing that way, I have a girlfriend, in fact." He said, not noticing how Hermione glanced away, but Draco did.

"Why you insolent-" Draco began but Hermione cut him off. With a swish of her wand a barrier had formed between the two men, both of them glaring daggers at one another.

"Right, clearly this isn't going to work out as I had intended." Hermione said, looking between the two men, both of whom still had there wands pointed at each other.

"What gave us away, 'Mione?" Fred asked sarcastically, Hermione narrowed her eyes at him.

"Look, I thought this would work out alright, but I guess I was wrong." She said defeated, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Fred, perhaps you should go." She said apologetically, glancing at the red headed man who was sneering at her room mate.

"Are you sure, 'Mione?" He asked, looking over at her. "I don't like the idea of you being alone with this _ferret._" Fred spat and Draco's grip tightened on his wand.

"Draco, don't rise to it." Hermione said before Draco could add a snide remark. "Fred, I'm sure I'll be perfectly fine, I've lived with him for this long without a problem, now I think you should leave." Hermione said, looking pleadingly at Fred whose face twitched for a second.

"Fine." He spat, fixing at Malfoy with a dark look. "I'll see you soon though." Fred said from in front of the fireplace.

"Yeah." Hermione said as kindly as she could manage, looking instead at Draco who was leaning against the barrier with his arms crossed.

"Promise?" Fred asked and Hermione spun around to look at him, at the sad, expectant look on his face.

"I promise." She said with what she hoped was reassuring smile. Fred nodded his assent and stood in the fireplace.

"I'll be seeing you around then." He said "And you" he added, pointing at Malfoy who was fiddling boringly with his nails "If you give her any trouble, you'll have me to deal with." He said and Malfoy rolled his eyes, showing Fred one finger, and one alone, something that was bound to receive him a lecture from his roommate later. "Cute, isn't he." Fred said, grabbing a handful of Floo powder before shouting 'WEASLEY WIZARD WHEEZES' and disappearing into the emerald flames, leaving Hermione staring at the ash spotted floor he'd left behind.

"Fancy taking this thing down?" said a voice. Hermione span around and saw Draco looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

"What? Oh! Right – sorry!" She said distractedly, lowering her wand and letting her shield charm fall away.

"Well, I bet that didn't go how you had planned." Draco said, the words 'I told you so' clearly waiting to roll off of his tongue.

"Oh, just get it over with, will you?" Hermione said, landing unceremoniously on the sofa, hiding her face in her hands.

"Well I think you already know what I have to say." Draco said, sitting down next to her. "So I wont bore you with all the details." He reached out slowly, pulling the tie that held her hair so that her curls tumbled around her shoulders. "But I'm warning you, Hermione, don't get too far into this." Draco said, a strangely caring tone penetrating his voice.

"What do you mean?" Hermione said, looking at Draco who was currently stretching her hair tie between his hands, letting it stretch and retract again.

"You know what I mean, Hermione." He said, giving Hermione one of the most patronising looks she'd ever received. "You don't just have yourself to think about any more. You've got Rose; you can't go around chasing men who aren't available."

"I'm not chasing anyone!" Hermione said, incredulous to Draco's accusations.

"Of course you aren't." Draco said loftily, standing up and smirking down at her. "But should you feel in the mood to chase someone, you should know, you could do much better in my eyes." Draco said, before dropping the hair tie on the coffee table and making to leave the room.

"Draco?" Hermione said, stopping him mid-stride. He turned on his heel, looking at her benignly. "You won't tell him, will you?" she said awkwardly, watching as a true, rare smile graced his handsome features.

"I wouldn't dream of it." He said "I best be getting to bed, I have a date tomorrow, after all." He said with a smirk. "Good night, Hermione." He said and left, heading for his own room and shutting the door with a soft click.

"Good night." Hermione said to herself, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand.

Hermione didn't return to her bedroom that night, she instead fell asleep on the sofa in her living room, letting the dreams of days long past and days that would never be washing over her mind. She didn't even notice when the bedroom door reopened and someone gently lay a blanket across her sleeping form before returning themselves to slumber.


	6. Most of Our Feelings, They Are Dead

**Sorry it's been so long, I've not had internet for ages and I've started a new Marauder Fic (How our Story starts, you should go check it out) **

**Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter or the characters within it, nor do I own this song. I only own this plot, and maybe one or two characters of my own making. **

**Please review!**

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><p><em>"'Cause most of our feelings, they are dead and they are gone."<em>

_Daughter, Youth._

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you don't mind." Hermione said the next day as she tied off the braid in her hair, throwing it back over her shoulder.<p>

"Of course not." Draco replied, thrusting her bag at her. "It's your day off, enjoy yourself. And besides" he said with a smirk "You really don't get out enough." He narrowly dodged as she moved to swat his arm, laughing slightly as he retreated into the kitchen, tucking in his work shirt on the way. "I need you back by six though!" he shouted from a distance, making Hermione roll her eyes.

"Rose!" Hermione shouted, her voce ringing throughout the flat. "It's time to go, sweetheart." There was a patter of shoes on floorboards and then the owner emerged in the hallway, her blue coat undone and her hat falling into her eyes. "Come here." Hermione said with a chuckle, wrapping a scarf around the little girl's neck and zipping up her coat before straightening her hat.

"We gowing park?" she asked innocently, her little, mitten covered hand grabbing hold of her mothers bare one as her blue eyes looked up at her.

"Yes we are." Hermione said smiling down at the little girl. "Draco, we're leaving!" she shouted, receiving a grumbled shout in return that told her he was halfway through his breakfast (or lunch, considering it was coming on half past two.) "Let's go then." Hermione said, hoisting Rose onto her hip before opening the front door, making her way down the stairwell, her young daughter clinging safely to her.

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><p>The second Hermione reached the park, she felt Rose's hand slip from hers as the little girl dashed towards one of the wings, grabbing the chain and waiting excitedly for her mother to lift her up and push her. Rolling her eyes, Hermione obliged.<p>

"High-a, mummy!" Rose said, squealing with delight ash she whipped backwards and forwards, the wind almost knocking the hat off of her head as her fiery ringlets swung to and fro.

"Merlin, Rose." Hermione said, laughing at the little girl's joy "If you go much higher you're going to fly away." She said and Rose's giggle reverberated around the otherwise empty park.

"Mummy!" Rose shouted, her blue eyes alight with more excitement as she looked towards the rest of the park, where the trees grew in canopies, their dead leaves littering the floor, each one skittering in the breeze. "Mummy, 'ook." Following the girls gaze whilst slowing the swing, Hermione caught sight of the two figures who had just entered the park, her breath catching slightly in her throat.

Hermione wanted to turn and leave, to act like she hadn't seen the couple, to go about her day normally. Unfortunately, Rose had other plans.

As soon as the swing had slowed enough, the little girl clambered down, running clumsily across the park towards the two people.

"Rose!" Hermione shouted, running after the toddling little girl who currently had her arms outstretched, reaching up to the man who was wearing a dark coat and a blue scarf. His face brightened when he saw the little girl. Bending down so he was her height, he lifted the girl into the air, swinging her around, letting her giggles fill the chilly air, the woman he was with looking on with adoration.

"Hey, 'Mione." Fred said, holding Rose on his hip as he smiled down at the brunette who had just stopped running, coming to halt in front of them.

"I'm so sorry, Fred." She breathed out "She just saw you and was off."

"Nothing wrong with that." Fred replied, wiggling his finger at the little girls face, making her giggle. "Oh, Katie, you remember Hermione." Fred said awkwardly, gesturing towards The other woman.

Katie hadn't changed a lot with age, but she was certainly still beautiful. She was short and from what Hermione could tell from her clothing, she was slim too. Her creamy skin was flawless with her face clear of makeup, her dark eyes shadowed by thick lashes. Her brown hair was straight a shiny beneath a black beret.

She wore a long red coat that tied at the waist, showing her slim figure, her thin legs covered by dark tights, a pair of smart black boots on her feet. She was the perfect picture of elegance, something Hermione had always associated with her. Even on the quidditch pitch she flew elegantly, like a bird in flight.

"Of course I do." She replied kindly, reaching out her hand to Hermione who took it gratefully, feeling incredibly underdressed in her worn denim jacket and old Gryffindor school scarf. "She's yours I suppose." Katie said, ogling Rose in the way many women did. Rose, in return, buried her face in Fred's neck. "She's precious. Absolutely adorable. Maybe one day we'll have one of these" she said, looking lovingly up at Fred.

"Yes she is." Hermione said quickly, trying to change the subject watching as Fred held the little girl with such delicacy, like he was still terrified he was going to drop her. Hermione didn't notice how Fred's eyes seemed to be looking everywhere but at his girlfriend. All the while Draco's words were echoing in her head "So, are you two out on a date then?" Hermione asked, trying to keep her voice from cracking as she smiled.

"Yeah." Katie said, snuggling into Fred's side with a wide smile as he planted a kiss on top her head.

"Well, we won't keep you." Hermione said, reaching out for her daughter, who Fred handed back, blissfully oblivious to the attitude Hermione was taking. He saw nothing, not the tautness in her voice or swift dismissal of their greeting. "We need to be getting back." she said, wrapping her arms around her daughter trying not to look at the pretty smile on Katie Bell's pretty face.

"Well, it was great to see you again." Katie said smiling brightly, but Fred wasn't looking at her. "Let's go and see the ducks." She said to Fred, wrapping her arms around one of his, staring up at him. But he was looking at Hermione, a quizzical look on his face. "Honey?"

"What?" He asked, clearly having not listened to a word she said. Katie sighed happily, smiling up at her boyfriend.

"I said, let's go and see the ducks." She repeated, poking him playfully in the side.

"Yeah –sure." He replied "Ducks." And he nodded slightly, seeming dazed. "I'll be seeing you soon 'Mione" he said and Katie gave a small wave before she steered him back towards the path, Fred following her lead, neither one of them looking back.

"Come on then, Rose." Hermione said, staring after the retreating figures as they headed towards the large, murky pond, neither one looking back. "I'm sure Draco will be wondering where we are." She said before turning back to the play park.

Grabbing her handbag, Hermione began her walk home; Rose sat contently playing with her mothers braid, they left, the fallen leaves crunching under her feet.

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><p>Had she been alone, Hermione would have returned straight home and hidden away with a cup of tea and a good book, wallowing in self pity the way she used to. As it happened, she wasn't alone, and Rose had very different plans. That was how two hours later, Hermione arrived home with Rose on her hip, two doughnut wrappers in her handbag, a home made cake from the old muggle woman who lived on the ground floor and the promise to watch over her cats in the following weeks while she was in hospital getting her hip fixed.<p>

Still, Hermione managed to arrive home just a few minutes after six, opening the door to the flat and putting Rose back on her own feet.

"Draco!" she shouted, dropping her key's in the bowl by the door as Rose padded off towards her room "We're back." she said, dropping her bag and beginning to unravel her scarf from around her neck. "I take it you're eating out tonight then, on this date of yours." Hermione said, smiling as she walked towards the living room, wanting nothing more than to sit down and have a cup of coffee. "Draco, are you even here?"

The smile slipped from her face the second she entered the other room. Draco was there, he was sat on the sofa, looking over his shoulder at Hermione with a rather agitated look on his face. He glanced to his left for a second, and Hermione soon saw the reason.

"Hermione." The man said. He was tall, not as tall as Draco or Fred, but certainly taller than she was herself. His face was pale, his chin dusted with the slightest bit of dark stubble. His hair was how she remembered, sticking out crazily at all angles, never lying flat, barely covering his scared forehead, and his clothing was simple and plain, just a grey shirt and jeans.

Hermione could see his green eye's, hidden behind his circular glasses as they stared at her with disbelief.

"Hermione, that's really you." He said, standing up to look at her properly, walking around the sofa so there was nothing between them. Hermione didn't wait for him to say anything else. She lunged at him, throwing her arms around his neck and gripping on like he was holding her to the earth.

"Harry." She breathed, feeling as his strong arms gripped onto her just as tightly. "Oh, Harry. I'm so sorry." She said as her mind went into overdrive. How could she possibly have left him, how could she have been so selfish as the think he would be alright on his own.

"Its okay, Hermione." He said, gently stroking his hand down her hair, ignoring the fact it was tied into a braid.

"I'm so sorry, Harry. I shouldn't have left. I know I shouldn't have left."

"Hermione, it's okay, you're back now." He said, pushing her back slightly and holding her by the shoulders. "That's all the matters." Said Harry as he wiped his thumb across Hermione's cheek, wiping away the tear as it fell.

"As brutally sentimental as this is," Said a voice from behind the embracing duo. Hermione jumped backward, knocking into the doorway as she did so. Harry, however, just sighed and rubbed his face. "I think we need to assess this situation before it goes any further." Draco finished, standing up to look at the pair of friends.

"What are you talking about, Malfoy?" Harry asked, not looking at the man as he spoke.

"Well, _Potter,_" Draco sneered with clear distaste. "Hermione has been doing her best to stay away from your lot, and now you've come gallivanting in, along with the other one, and it's going to make everything more complicated." He said.

"How is this complicated?" Harry said, turning around and facing Draco, the two of them glaring at one another, a childhood full of rivalry clearly unforgotten. "Hermione's here, right now she's here, so she can come back now." Harry said, pointing at Hermione who was staring pointedly at her own feet.

"But it's not just Hermione now, is it?" Draco said, crossing his arms. Harry looked confused for a second, but then his face screwed up in distaste.

"If you're talking about yourself then-" he began but Draco cut him off.

"No I'm not talking about me." Draco said incredulously. "I'm talking about-" but Draco never did get to finish his sentence.

At that moment the sound of tiny feet running across the floorboards could be heard form the hallway, and a few moments later their owner appeared in the doorway, holding a book in her hand, blissfully ignorant to the reunion happening in her very home.

"Mamma?" she said when she reached Hermione, holding the book up towards her. Hermione smiled and bent down, picking Rose up, book in hand, and resting the child on her hip, the same way she always did.

"Rose." But it wasn't Draco who said it; it was Harry who'd just slapped a palm to his forehead. "How could I forget?" Harry said, looking between Hermione and the child in her arms. "Oh, Hermione, she's beautiful." He said, watching as the little girl's blue eye's met his green and she shied away, hiding her head in the crook of her mother's neck. "And you raised her? All by yourself?" he asked.

"Not all by herself." Draco said, watching the pair again, glaring at Harry whenever Hermione wasn't watching.

"You mean – you two – are you?" Harry said, his green eye's wide with shock from behind his glasses.

"No, we're not together, Harry." Hermione said, rolling her eyes at her best friend. "Harry, how did you even find me?" Hermione asked, her rational thought finally returning once the amusement had faded. Harry shifted awkwardly on his feet while Hermione narrowed his eyes.

Finally the two of them said together-

"Ginny."

"I knew it." Hermione said, pinching the bridge of her nose with her free hand "That girl used to be able to keep a secret, now look at her."

"That girl happens to be my wife." Harry said, but he was smiling all the same. "So are you back now then, for good I mean?" He asked excitedly, acting like Christmas had come early.

"Harry, I never really left." Hermione said reasonably, looking at her best friend, the surge of guilt coming back. "Look, I don't want to go into this right now." Hermione said, sighing heavily. "But I'm meeting Ginny again on Thursday-"

"I know she told me."

"Of course she did - So can I explain everything to you then, okay?" she asked pleadingly. Harry was silent for a moment, appearing to be weighing up his options.

"Fine. I'll see you Thursday." Harry was about to go in for a hug, but seeing the nervous child in Hermione's arms seemed to think better of it. Just as he turned to leave via Floo powder, there was a light tapping at the window.

"Is that an owl?" Hermione said, peering towards the window Draco had just opened. A very large, very disgruntled looking owl flew in, landing ungracefully on the back of the sofa, staring up at Harry with its huge amber eyes.

"Looks like Potter's got a letter." Draco drawled, receiving a sharp glare from Hermione, but Harry was too busy reading over the letter to notice. It was only after she saw the colour draining from Harry's face that Hermione registered he'd opened the letter at all.

"Harry?" she asked, putting Rose down, whom then toddled over to Draco, clearly not done with the attention, he picked her up obligingly as she snuggled into the crook of his neck. "Harry, what is it? What's wrong? Who was that letter from?" She pressed, trying to catch his eye.

"They know." He said blandly, his hands gripping the edge of the parchment so tight it torn. "That was Mr Weasley, Hermione they've found out about you." He said, holding the parchment towards her. She scanned over the scrawled writing, it was clearly written in a rush.

_Harry._

_We've found her; she's living in muggle London. _

_We're going to try and make contact, please don't do anything rash. _

_Arthur._

"How did they find out?" Hermione asked frantically, looking from Draco to Harry in a flourish of movements. "Who in Merlin's name told them?"

"Don't look at me; I'm not a part of this family." Draco said innocently, checking his watch quickly. "Besides, I have a date in an hour so I'm afraid I can't even stick around to find out." He said with a shrug. "Come on, Rose. Let's leave the grownups to it." and with a wink at Hermione, he left the room.

"Harry, did you tell them?" Hermione asked, her voice steadier than before.

"I swear I didn't, Hermione." He said, taking the letter back. "But there is one thing." He said, letting his words linger slightly. "Why would Mr Weasley write to me, he's at work?" Harry said curiously. Hermione pondered on this for a moment, but just as the realisation hit her, there was another flurry of feathers and a second owl perched it's self on the now feather strewn sofa, this one in front of Hermione.

"I think that's for you." Harry said and Hermione nodded slightly.

"Yes." She replied, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I suppose it must be." with fumbling fingers, Hermione untied the letter from the owl who hooted approvingly before shooting out of the window, disappearing into the darkening sky.

"Do you know who its-"

"Yes, I do." Hermione said quickly, prying open the letters seal. "Oh, Harry, you read it." she said, thrusting it towards him.

"Are you sure?" he asked, looking at her with knowing eyes.

"Just, just get it over with." She said hurriedly.

"Dear Hermione." Harry began. "George told us where to find you. We're so glad to have found out you and Rose are okay, we'd all love to see you again, dear – well it's clear who this is from." Harry said with a weak laugh, but Hermione was pacing up and down, chewing her thumb nail.

"Just keep going." She said and Harry obliged.

"Please will you join us this Sunday for dinner, everyone's going to be there and they all miss you so much. Sending our love. Molly Weasley." Harry finished. Hermione, who was now sat on the sofa, put her head in her hands.

"Do I have to go?" she asked her voice barely audible. Everything was falling apart, and it had only been four day's since Fred had found her. Now look what had happened, her entire life, her comfortable reality, it was crumbling away, sifting through her fingers like ashes. There were ghosts of her past cropping up all over place and she was finding it hard enough to face them one by one, but to see them all together, in one place.

"I think you need to, Hermione." Harry said, sitting down next to her. "Not just for your sake, but for Rose's too."

"People keep saying that." She said grumpily, feeling slightly more like the child she wanted to be again. "Urgh – Harry. When did this all get so complicated?" she asked, lying her head against his shoulder, remembering all the times he had comforted her when Ron had left them alone, leaving them to fight the horcruxes without him.

"Well, I'd say that happened when you ran away." Harry said bleakly.

"I did not run away!"

"You kind of did."

"Shut up." She said, but she was laughing slightly. "Well I supposed I don't have a choice then." She said, her eye's staring out of the window, watching the sun as it set further and further below the horizon. "I'll think about it." she said and after seeing Harry's distraught face added "You'll see me on Thursday anyway."

"Well I've got to get going, Ginny will have a fit if I don't pick the boys up from Andromeda's." He said with a smile. "I'll see you Thursday, I bet the boys are dying to see you."

"I look forward to it." she said and didn't speak again until Harry had disappeared into the emerald flames. "Rose, dinner wont be long." She said, flicking her wand from where she sat on the sofa, letting pots and pans bounce around as she began cooking some simple pasta. Draco emerged from his room a few moments later.

"Cooking from the sofa, now you're not showing off, you're just getting lazy." He said with a wink as he buttoned up his dark green shirt.

"Somebody's going all out." Hermione said with a raised eyebrow. "Special girl is it."

"You set us up." He added plainly as he peered into the saucepan. "Pasta, Hermione. Really. Need I remind you what happened last time you let that child loose with spaghetti." He said as Hermione joined him in the kitchen.

"Well then I suggest you make yourself scarce, wouldn't want Summer to see you looking like a pasta monster." She said, wiggling her eyebrows and poking his stomach, and she was sure she saw Draco blush as he batted her had away. "Anyway, you get going, don't want to keep her waiting." She said kindly, her maternal smile back on her face.

"This will all sort itself out, Hermione." Draco said, pulling her into one of their very rare, usually quite brief hugs. "I'm not going to let you get hurt again." He grabbed his coat and his key's sweeping his platinum hair from his eyes as he did so. "Don't wait up." And with a kiss on her forehead he disappeared down the stairs, leaving Hermione alone with Rose.

"Rose, your dinner's ready." Hermione called, setting the plates on the table. Soon the bubble little girl was sat in her place, shovelling spaghetti so ferociously she was getting more of it on her face, her clothing stained with the red sauce. And all the while, all Hermione could think about was how many different way's she could kill Fred and George Weasley.

* * *

><p><p>

Business at Weasley Wizard Wheezes was usually a crazy affair, even on a Thursday, but with all the children at Hogwarts for another few days and everyone's Christmas shopping either done or being left till last minute, Fred was blessed with a quiet afternoon in the back room.

Just as he was about to tuck into his sandwich, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" he called, his mouth still full, and in flounced Verity. Her blonde hair was curled today, making it look even shorter than usual, stopping just above her chin and there was a large green flower perched in it. Fred never understood Verity's necessity to show off, whether it was her hair, or her makeup or her clothes, she always had to look flamboyant. Not like Hermione, Hermione just looked naturally beautiful.

"There's someone here to see you." Verity said smiling widely, her extraordinary dark eyes shadowed by glittery makeup.

"Let them in." Fred said, finally swallowing his mouthful of sandwich. Verity rolled her eyes, tutting something under her breath about 'boys' before prancing out of the room in a flurry of pink skirts. A few moments later someone came storming into the room, not bothering to knock, and was looking down at Fred where he sat, her nostrils flaring with anger.

"Hermione!" he said generally surprised. "What a nice-"

"Don't try and sweet talk me, Weasley." She said, her hands on her hips. "I want to know why George blabbed." She said angrily.

"George? He only told Angelina, I thought we'd sorted that?" Fred said, confused.

"No, your lovely brother has now gone and told your mother where I am, so you can imagine what it was like when I got an owl from her last night!" Hermione spat, her face reddening slightly.

"George told mum?" Fred said, running a hand through his hair. "Geez, I knew it was bound to happen but I thought it would take him longer, if I'm honest." Fred said, smiling boyishly.

"This isn't funny, Fred!" Hermione shouted, clearly not finding the amusement that Fred had. "I told you that I wanted to take this slowly. I didn't want to just dive in headfirst and turn up like I'm someone who's risen from the dead!" she said furiously. "I wanted to do this at my own pace, I wanted Rose-"

"Don't bring Rose into this!" Fred suddenly burst out, not entirely sure where this protectiveness had come from. Apparently Hermione didn't either since she was looking at him wide eyed.

"Excuse me?" Hermione asked, abashed by Fred's outburst.

"Don't blame this on Rose. You could have come back at any time, heck; you didn't even have to leave." Fred said, standing up to his full height, letting the two years of built up rage towards this girl pour out. "Now you're hiding behind her like a lifeline just because you can't face the thought that you were wrong."

"Wrong? You think I was wrong?" Hermione shouted back.

"Yes I do. I think you couldn't bare the thought of looking weak, and that's why you never came back. I think you were too scared to ask us for help, even when me and George offered it to you!"

"That's what you think, is it?" Hermione said, her voice calm, the kind of calmness that Fred had long ago associated with his mother before she exploded into a lecture.

"Well I'll have you know, Frederick, that you're the one who is wrong." She said, her fists clenched at her sides. "I left because - actually, I don't have to do this, I don't have to explain myself to _you_." She glaring angrily up at Fred, despite the height difference, Fred still thought she was terrifying. "I wish you'd never found me in that bar!" Hermione shouted before storming out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Fred fell back into his chair, running his hands over her face, feeling the stubble from where he felt too lazy to shave that morning, and wondered what the hell had just happened. Before he could fully comprehend it in his mind, a head stuck it's self through the door.

"Trouble in paradise?" Verity said slyly, her smile wider than ever. Fred solved that simply by throwing the nearest thing towards her, something that just so happened to be an escaped pygmy puff. "Tut tut, Freddie." She said sultrily, picking up the now trembling ball of purple fluff, petting it soothingly. "That's no way to get the girl." She said before slinking off, cooing slightly to the terrified creature.

"I already have a girl!" Fred shouted after her, remembering how he was supposed to have met Katie for lunch. "Oh, bollocks." He said, slamming a hand into his face. "Verity! Can you call Katie for me?" he called. He could hear her reply from the other end of the shop.

"I'll tell her you're ill." And in that moment, Fred had never been more thankful that he and George had kept Verity on.

* * *

><p><p>

The first thought Hermione had when she was stood on the bottom of the steps leading to Grimmauld Place was how much livelier the place seemed. The flower boxes now contained flowers, the windows were clean making the inside of the house visible to outsiders and there was the sounds of crashing from the other side of the door that just screamed 'children'.

"Are you ready, Rose?" Hermione said, looking down at the little girl who was latched onto her hand. She didn't respond, but Hermione seemed to act like she did. "Let's go then." And slowly, Hermione climbed the steps, Rose toddling along after her. Before Hermione even got the chance to knock, the door was flung open and standing on the other side was Ginny, dressed lazily in baggy jeans and an oversized jumper that fell off of her shoulder, her fiery hair pulled into a bun.

"Hermione!" She half shouted, wrapping her arms around the witch "The old system's still in place." Ginny said reasonably, answering the questions on Hermione's lips. "So I know you've been standing on the steps for at least ten minutes, but never mind, come in." she said half dragging Hermione who in turn dragged Rose.

Once the door was shut, Hermione felt as Rose grabbed a hold of her scarf, tugging it gently, clearly nervous of the new company. There were the sounds of crashes and the thundering off feet followed by distinctive laughing.

"Boys!" Ginny shouted, sounding surreally like her mother, the thumps ceasing immediately. "If you want to run around like lunatics, go and play in the garden!" she shouted and before long, there was the hammering off feet on the stairs from the top of the house, slowly growing louder.

Hermione watched on interestedly as two boys thundered down the stairs, the faster of the two looked about six years old, with a bright head of turquoise hair and dark eyes; he was followed quickly by a slightly smaller boy with a scruffy mass of black and Ginny's brown eyes. They didn't slow down, nor did they notice Hermione, they just pelted through the door to the living room and disappeared into what Hermione assumed would be the garden.

"Since when did you have a garden?" Hermione asked raising an eyebrow, knowing the unlikelihood that Mrs Black would have allowed such a mundane arrangement as a garden.

"Since we had two very energetic boys to deal with." Ginny said, rubbing her face with her hand. "Albus is still asleep, so he wont be ready to see you for a while but-" and Ginny broke of suddenly, looking quizzically at the movement of Hermione's scarf. Following the jiggering material, Ginny's eyes fell upon the little girl who was staring up at her mother, Hermione's scarf clutched in her tiny hand.

Clearly unable to postpone the introductions any longer, Hermione reached down and lifted Rose up, letting the little girl wrapped her arms around her neck.

"Rose." She said carefully, looking at the tiny girls face. "This is your Auntie Ginny." She said, extending a hand towards the red-headed witch who was looking longingly at the little girl. Rose, to her credit, didn't shy away like she usually did; instead she looked cautiously at Ginny, a puzzling look in her blue eyes.

"Hey Rose," Ginny said tenderly, smiling at the child. "You probably don't remember me very well, but I used to look after you when you were little." Rose, seeming to have made her decision on Ginny very quickly, reached out her hand towards the young witch. Ginny wasted no time reaching back, holding onto the little girl's hand. "Do you remember me?" Ginny asked, slightly surprised, but Rose shrugged slightly, the tiny cogs no doubt ticking away in her mind.

"Well, that was easier than I expected." Hermione said with a smile. "I was expecting her to hide away or something."

"So," Ginny said as Rose let go of her hand. "Coffee?"

"Merlin, Yes!" Hermione said and Ginny smiled.

"Just go sit in the living room and I'll bring it through." She said, indicating with her thumb towards the door at the base of the stairs before walking off in the way the two boys had left, grabbing clothes and abandoned toys on the way.

The living room was transformed from what Hermione remembered. The previously drab grey walls were now a light cream, the previously crawling carpet replaced by one a few shades darker than the walls with a large crimson rug. A large, dark red sofa was facing the fireplace, a large (undoubtedly homemade) checked quilt thrown over the back, two armchairs sat at either end facing inwards towards a dark wooden coffee table. This room too was strewn with pieces of boys clothing and toys that Hermione did well to dodge. It must be a lot harder for Ginny raising three little boys than it was for Hermione to raise Rose, even with the extra help Ginny must receive.

Hermione sat Rose on the sofa, passing her the picture book from her bag before sitting down next to her, looking around at the rest of the room. Various sized picture-frames hung from the walls, each filled with photographs of moving people, some of the Weasley family, others of the new Potter family. Hermione could easily pick out Teddy in each photograph, his hair always shinning a different colour. She noticed with a pang of longing that there were even some from their Hogwarts days, back when the war was far beyond the coffee table was a jumble of paper, some were children's drawings, and others looked like official Ministry paper work while some just looked like normal notes.

"Here we are." Ginny said entering the room and placing two mugs filled with steaming liquid before landing ungracefully into the nearest armchair. "Harry finishes work at five, so that give you about an hour and a half to explain until you have someone else wanting answers." She said, glancing at the clock hanging on the wall.

"Ginny," Hermione said pleadingly "Can't I just tell you both together?" Ginny raised her eyebrow, sipping her drink slightly. "That way you both find out at the same time and I only have to tell the story once." She reasoned.

"Fine." Ginny said with a lot less persuasion than Hermione had been expecting. "But you had better make this a very good explanation, not a single detail missed out." She said pointing at the bushy haired witch. Hermione nodded and Ginny let her arm drops, breathing out a sigh.

Before either of them could start any more conversations there was a crash from outside the window, followed by the shrill sound of a child crying. Next thing they knew, a very worried looking Teddy barrelled into the room, his turquoise hair sticking out strangely from under his black hat, his scarf trailing along the floor behind him and his laces undone.

"Mum!" he shouted, coming to a panting stop in front of Ginny, clearly oblivious to the two new occupants of the room. "James fell over! He's cut his knee! It's bleeding!" He said frantically, pointing towards the door he'd just run through.

"Okay Teddy, I'm coming out now." Ginny said, jumping to her feet. "You go and make sure he's alright." With a nod, Teddy ran from the room again, his scarf whipping along behind him.

"Boys." Ginny said rolling her eyes and Hermione smiled. "I wont be long." And she left too, shouting questions out the door towards Teddy.

Ginny returned a few moments later with the black haired child on her hip, speaking quite comforts towards him. James was clutching his mothers neck, crying quite loudly into her shoulder as she tried to reassure him, Teddy following along after her.

"Let's have a look then." Ginny said, sitting James on the cluttered coffee table, as he wiped his eyes. She rolled up the bottom of James jeans delicately, shushing him every time he let out a particularly loud sob. "It's okay, James." Ginny said, reaching into her back pocket for her wand. "It's only a tiny little scratch." She said reasonably, waving her want quickly towards the cut. James's sobs stopped immediately but his face was still red from the tears. "I've told you a hundred times that if you play on the stairs somebody is going to get hurt." Ginny said, pulling his trouser leg down and standing back up. "That goes for you too, Teddy." She said, pointing a finger at the shuffling boy in the corner.

"Sorry, Mum." He said awkwardly, shuffling his feet, the laces still undone as James jumped down and went to stand with him.

"That's good." Ginny said sternly. "Now this is-" but before Ginny could introduce them, Rose had jumped from the sofa and walked towards the two boys, her crazy hair bouncing as it walked.

"I'm Rose." The little girl said bravely, looking at the two older boys, both of whom seemed excited to see a new person.

"I'm Teddy." The eldest said "And this is James."

"I can speak myself!" James said indignantly "I'm nearly six!" he said proudly, scowling at Teddy.

"Well I'm nearly seven!" Teddy replied with a satisfied smirk and James sulked even more.

"Boys, stop arguing. We have guests." Ginny said impatiently. "Now this is Hermione." Ginny said. "She's your godmother." She said and Hermione looked at her surprised.

"I am?" she asked.

"Well your James's." She said with a shrug.

"Mum, when's tea?" Teddy asked, looking up at Ginny with his big brown eyes.

"Soon." Ginny replied. "Why don't you go and show Rose your broomstick." Ginny said and Teddy's eyes widened.

"Yeah!" he said, bouncing slightly up and down. "It's awesome!" he said before darting out of the door, the two younger children in his wake.

"It only goes about a foot or two off the floor." Ginny said, dismissing Hermione's worried face and unspoken concerns instantly. "Fancy helping me make dinner?" Ginny asked, but she didn't wait for Hermione to respond, instead dragging her by the arm into the kitchen where the two girls proceeded to put pans on the hob and talk about the good old days.

"Lavender is a pain in the arse!" Ginny said, leaning back against the counter while her wand cooked to food. "If I hear 'Oh Won-Won' one more time!" she said brandishing her wand threateningly while Hermione laughed.

"She still calls him that?" she said through laughter. "How does he stand it?" Hermione asked, still chuckling slightly.

"If you ask me," Ginny said with a smirk "She's into a lot more than snogging these days." She said, pretending to puke into the sink.

"Urgh! That's disgusting!" Hermione said, holding a hand against her mouth. "Do they still kiss in front of everyone else?" she asked and Ginny face said it all. "Oh, Merlin."

"Twice I've hexed them now. Mum's confunded them a few times; Harry puts the body bind on them while they're at it. Even Fleur's had a go now." She said, adding to Hermione's hysteric laughter. "I'll go and get the kids." Ginny said, pushing herself off of the counter and leaving the room, pretending the puke the entire way out of Hermione's sight.

Still laughing to herself, Hermione began levitating three places at the table, one for each of the three children, Teddy, James and Rose.

Once the three of them were sat contently, eating their way through their cheesy pasta, Ginny and Hermione stood together in the kitchen, sipping tea and talking idly.

"So, what do you do now, Gin?" Hermione asked, trying to make sophisticated conversation.

"I don't." Ginny said casually, shrugging at Hermione who was looking at her like she'd sprouted feelers. "Well I don't need to." She said reasoning with the older witch. "Me and Harry both still have our grants, Harry has not only his own money in his vault but all that Sirius left him as well. Plus I have the kids to look after." She said, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Don't you get bored?" Hermione asked, dumbfounded. Ginny levelled her with a 'bitch-please' stare.

"I have three boys to look after, only two of which are in school." She said sipping her drink. "So I wake up, get Teddy and James fed and ready, get Albus up and get him ready too then I take the boys to school and have Albus to look after for the rest of the day. I'm telling you, there's never a dull moment in this house."

"And here I was thinking I had my hands full with just one child." Hermione said, sipping her tea with blank eyes.

"Hey, you've still got a chance. You're still young." Said Ginny, bumping Hermione's shoulder gently with a wink.

"Somehow I don't think so." Hermione said with a half hearted scowl. Ginny gave her a sad look, about to console her in some way, but before she could even open her mouth there was a beep and the sound of the door's latch opening.

"Dads home!" Teddy shouted, jumping from his seat at the table and running down the hall, James following after.

"I've been meaning to ask," Hermione said, trying to quell the nerves of seeing Harry again. "Teddy, does he know about Tonks and Lupin?" she asked awkwardly and Ginny smiled sadly.

"He knows." She replied. "We told him when he started school. But as far as he's concerned he has two mums and two dads, like how he has two sets of grandparents. That doesn't stop them being his favourite bed time story. His parents are hero's." she said smiling at the still empty doorway.

"Both sets of them are." Hermione added with a smile, one Ginny returned. Hermione felt the tug on her leg and saw Rose had left her plate on the table, empty of all food and was now tugging at Hermione's top. "Finished, are you?" Hermione laughed, picking up the little girl who'd somehow managed to get cheese sauce all around her mouth, in bits of her hair and even some on her cheek.

"Can I wash my hands?" Rose asked quietly, her voice obstructed slightly by the grubby hand in her mouth.

"Sure, I'll take you to the bathroom." Hermione said but Ginny put an arm out and stopped her.

"I'll take her." She said with a smile, one at Hermione and one at Rose. "I just think it's best of you greet Harry today."

"Oh, is that okay Rose?" Hermione asked and Rose nodded slightly, still seeming a bit shy. "Well then lets go to Auntie Ginny shall we?" Hermione said, smiling slightly as she passed the little girl over to Ginny who took her with loving arms.

"Besides, I've always wanted a little girl." Ginny said, holding Rose who had wrapped her mucky arms around Ginny's neck.

"You're still young." Hermione echoed and Ginny smiled shyly before leaving the room, taking a very quiet Rose with her. As Hermione began clearing the plates away, levitating them into the now suds filled sink, she heard voices from the doorway.

"Boys! You could at least let me get through the door I've only been home - Oh, Gin, is that-"

"She's in the kitchen." Ginny replied to the voice and a few seconds later Hermione saw Harry appeared in the doorway, six year old Teddy on his hip like a toddler and five year old James clinging onto his leg.

"Hermione!" He said brightly, smiling at her. "You came!" he placed Teddy back on the ground and once he did, James released his leg before the two boys disappeared, laughing into the hall. Hermione distinctly heard Ginny's voice echo down the hall "Don't run like that in the house!"

"It's great to see you again, Harry!" Hermione said, jumping at him, wrapping her slim arms around his neck. He didn't hesitate to hug her back.

Just then Ginny appeared in the doorway, without Rose and smiled at the two friends.

"She's gone to play with the boys again." Ginny said, when the two broke apart, going to stand next to Harry who then put his arm around her shoulders, kissing the top of her head. "How was work?" she asked casually, like this was nothing more than routine for them. It hit Hermione with a flash that this probably was routine now. They'd both wake up, get themselves and the boys ready, Ginny would take the boys to school and Harry would go to work, then they'd have dinner together and hang out around the fireplace into the evening. It was so beautiful normal. Something that Hermione had already lost.

"It was mostly dull, there aren't many Deatheaters left to find and any criminals have calmed down since the war." He said placidly. "But what I want to know now is Hermione's story." He said, his green eyes looking into her brown.

"Well then, shall we go into to living room?" Ginny said brightly, clearly trying to encourage Hermione into spilling the story of her two and a half years away. "The kids are thumping around upstairs, so we wont have to worry about them." Grudgingly, Hermione followed the couple into heir sitting room, sitting in the cosy armchair while the two of them sat on the sofa, their arms around each other.

"Where should I start?" Hermione asked awkwardly, breaking their pregnant silence with her words.

"How about why you left?" Ginny said boldly and Harry nodded, somewhat sympathetically towards Hermione. It was clear which was going to be good cop in this situation. She took a deep breath and finally let it all out, every story, every tiny detail included.

After half an hour of Hermione talking, Harry and Ginny prompting her along with their inputting questions, they finally reached the end of the explanation. She told them everything: why she left, her first flat, when she helped Draco and their agreement.

"And so Draco and I have been living together with Rose for well over a year, both working to bring in money and looking after my little girl." She said, finishing with sigh.

"Well now I feel bad." Ginny said grumpily, looking at Hermione while Harry rubbed his hand over his face. "Here I was hating you for leaving us, not knowing everything you've been doing over the past couple of years.

"It's fine, really Ginny." Hermione said, reaching out for the other witches hand, who accepted the comfort openly.

"I still don't understand why you left." Harry said, confusion etched onto his still young face. "I understand why you and Ron broke up, that was given after everything was going on, but why leave?" he asked.

"He's your best friend, and your brother," She said, addressing both of them in turn." I assumed you'd all take him at his word and reject me for the promiscuous girl he was making me out to be." she said quietly, looking at the hand she still had in her lap.

"I'd never think-" Harry began, but Hermione cut him off.

"You always did take his side, I' rather have left on my terms than have been forced out." She said solemnly. "You understand that, don't you Ginny." Hermione said pleadingly, hoping that her mistake wasn't even worse than she had expected.

"Well, yes and no." Ginny said "I understand you were scared. You were a new mum who'd fought in the greatest war of our time and who'd just been cast out by her husband, anyone else would have fallen to pieces – how you kept it together I don't know – but I think you let your pride get the better of you and followed your own logic, forgetting all rational thought." Ginny said as Harry nodded along mutely.

They were silent for a moment, Hermione staring at her hands, Ginny having let hers go. Then they heard a cry from above them and Ginny sighed.

"It was only a matter of time really." She said, heaving herself (still gracefully) to her feet. "I'll get him." She said, ruffling Harry's choppy hair as she headed up the stairs. "Alright Albus. I'm coming, I'm coming."

"But you're back now, right?" Harry burst out, looking at Hermione with sad eyes. She returned his smile sadly, not entirely sure how to respond.

"I thought we'd already established I never really left." She said with a weak smile, but Harry held his gaze. "Look, Harry, I still don't know. "I don't like the idea of plunging myself back into that life, dragging Rose with me." She said, wincing as she brought Rose into the scenario. Maybe Fred was right maybe she did use her daughter as an excuse sometimes.

"I guess you're still thinking about Sunday then, not come to a decision?" he asked, fumbling with a stray thread on the end of his ministry robe.

"No, I'm still thinking." Hermione replied blandly.

"Okay, Harry, I think he wants you this time." Said an irritated looking Ginny. In her arms she held a small boy wearing footsie pyjama's who was currently kicking and screaming to his hearts content, clearly not happy with something.

Harry sighed, reaching his arms out towards Ginny who deposited the little boy before falling back against the doorframe with a sigh.

"Oh you guys." Hermione said, watching as the little boy settled in Harry's arms. "He's beautiful. And he has your eyes, Harry!" she gushed, watching as Ginny and Harry both smiled, Ginny having retaken her seat beside her husband. "How old is he now?" she asked, looking up from the small bundle at the parents.

"He's two in a week." Ginny said proudly, tickling Albus's little foot, making the small child giggle. "Merlin, I'd better feed him while he's still awake!" Ginny said, rushing to get to her feet, but Harry put out and arm to hold her down.

"I can do it." he said "You just relax, you've had him all day, it's my turn."

"Are you sure?" Ginny asked, but Harry was already on his feet, adjusting how he held Albus in his arms.

"Positive." And after kissing her quickly on the forehead, he left the room with Albus in his arms. Ginny fell back against the sofa againw itha sigh, looking at Hermione through half closed eyes.

"Never have too many kids, Hermione." Ginny said, yawning slightly, making Hermione laugh.

"I'm fine with just the one." She said reasonably and Ginny smirked.

"So, are you the promiscuous little harlot my brother is so convinced you are, or are you still a bit of a prune?" Ginny asked, laughing a tiny bit though her eyes were still closed, her long hair fallen from its scruffy bun and tumbling down the back if the sofa.

"No I am not the harlot Ronald says I am." Hermione said bluntly, making Ginny laugh more. "And I never was a prune!" she then quickly added indignantly.

"You were a bit." Ginny reasoned, cracking open one eye to look at her friend. Hermione sat up straighter in her chair, abashed to what Ginny was saying of her. "Ron told me it took a while until you finally, you know - _did the deed."_ She said, trying not to giggle at Hermione's face as she got steadily more embarrassed.

"Well," Hermione said indignantly, "Perhaps it would interest Ronald to know I've been with more than one man since me and him have been apart." Hermione said, but then, seeming to only have notice what she said, clapped her hand to her mouth.

Ginny, however, was finally getting interested. She sat up; her brown eyes wide open with a mischievous glint to them as she smirked at her old friend.

"Is that so, Hermione." she asked, but Hermione just shook her head, her hand still clasped over her mouth, knowing she'd already said too much. "Go on, Hermione, spill the beans." Ginny urged, nudging Hermione's knees with her own. "Oh, come on Hermione, you can't just say something like that and not expect me to ask questions!" Ginny said, still trying to gouge an answer. "Tell me how many at least." Ginny said, rolling her eyes, watching as Hermione finally lowered her hands.

"Fine." Hermione said reluctantly, her eyes cast to the floor as she fiddled with the hem of her top. "There were two." She said shyly.

"Was one of them Draco?" Ginny asked, biting back her laugh at Hermione's horrified face.

"What? – But? – Why do you say that?" Hermione sputtered out, tripping on most of her words.

"Oh Please, Hermione." Ginny said with a smirk, her eyes filled with a knowing glint. "You've lived together for two years, you're both raising the same child and whenever someone asks if you're together you don't freak out or get embarrassed, you just answer casually, which is so unlike you, which tells me that something already happened there."

"I thought I was supposed to be the smart one." Hermione mumbled, looking once again at her lap.

"So I was right?" Ginny pressed, watching the colour rise slightly in Hermione's cheeks.

"Yes, you're right." She burst out, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "But it wasn't for long, and it was right at the beginning of living together so Rose doesn't even remember and neither of us talk about it." she said in a rush while Ginny looked on amusedly.

"Merlin's beard. Who'd have thought it? Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy did the dirty." Ginny said with a bark of laughter.

"Will you shut up!" Hermione said in a shouted whisper, trying her best too shush the younger witch. "You can't tell anyone. Especially not Harry!" Hermione said and Ginny agreed, nodding her head as she held her stomach.

The girls then lapsed into quiet and comfortable conversation, talking proudly about their children the ways that mothers did and about their school memories the way old friends did, until finally, Hermione caught sight of the time.

"I'm sorry Ginny." Hermione said, standing up quickly, and hitting her knee on the coffee table with a wince "It's gotten so late! Draco will be wondering where we are and Merlin knows what he's done to try and cook for himself!" she said hurriedly, grabbing her coat and scarf from the arm of the chair.

"It's fine Hermione." Ginny said calmly, standing up and stretching her arms over her head like a cat. "I need to get the boys to bed anyway, they have school tomorrow." She said with a loud yawn. The two of them walked into the hallway, just as Harry appeared at the top of the stairs a rather agitated expression on his face. "What's up?" Ginny asked curiously, cocking her head slightly to one side.

"Our sons." Harry didn't say anything else, but Ginny nodded understandingly. "Hermione's got to go, and we need to get the boys to bed. Is Albus asleep?" she asked and Harry nodded.

"Rose!" Hermione shouted from the bottom of the stairs. "It's time to go, sweetheart!" there was a definite crash heard from upstairs that made Harry and Ginny wince, followed by the opening of a door and the unmistakable sound of feet running heavily across carpet until three small children appeared at the top of the stairs, each on thundering down them at different speeds and levels of balance, James actually tripping at one point until they came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs.

"You'd better not have broken anything." Ginny said as her sons looked up at her innocently. "You know what; I'm not going to ask. Go and get your pyjamas on and then come down and say good-bye." She said, ruffling James's hair as Hermione picked Rose up from the floor.

"Have you had a good time?" She asked and Rose nodded. "Good good, well go and get your coat and gloves and then we'll go home, okay?" She said placing Rose back down, letting her run off towards the living room and out into what Hermione assumed to be the back porch.

Ten minutes later and everyone was gathered once again in the entrance hallway. Teddy and James were both dressed in their quidditch pyjamas, James wearing red ones with tiny golden snitches and Teddy's blue (matching his hair) with brown broomsticks.

Rose was once again wearing her coat, hat, scarf and gloves, holding on lightly to Hermione's hand, clearly not as nervous as she once was.

"We'll see you soon, wont we?" Ginny said as she wrapped Hermione in a hug while Rose hugged each of the little boys.

"Definitely. I'll try and find a time to stop by again. I think Rose would like that, wouldn't you?" she said and Rose nodded excitedly. "I'll see you soon Harry." Hermione said, hugging him tightly, feeling as he buried his face in her neck, the way he always used to.

"You'd better." He replied with a laugh she could feel reverberating against her skin. Just as Hermione was about to turn and leave, holding onto Rose's hand, she felt the little girl pull away from her grip. Turning, Hermione saw as Rose stood in front of Ginny, her arms outstretched towards the red-haired witch.

"Gimmy!" she said and Ginny immediately swooped down, picking the little girl up and hugging her closely.

"I'll see you soon, Rose." Ginny said, smiling widely down at the little girl who was looking up at her aunt with her big blue eyes.

"Are you going to say goodbye to Harry, Rose?" Hermione asked amusedly, watching as Harry's face changed from admiration as he watched his wife to surprise.

Rose looked at Harry, her thumb in her mouth and quietly said "Bye-bye Hawwy." And Both Ginny and Hermione giggled as Harry's face lit up.

"Good bye Rose, I'm sure we'll see you and mummy really soon." He said, watching as Ginny passed the little girl back to her mother. "Please come to the Burrow on Sunday, Hermione." Harry asked, ruffling James's hair as he clung onto his fathers leg. "Ron probably won't even be there, and you can even bring the ferret if you want to." He said with a laugh, Ginny and Hermione joining in.

"I'll think about it." she said, but she was smiling, a smile that was returned to her by the couple in front of her as she opened the door into the cold night, "I'll see you both soon." And after a chorus of 'good-byes' and waves from the small children, Hermione shut the door behind them, beginning her walk home in the cold, newly December air.

And as she walked down the yellow, lamp lit pavements, the cold wind biting at her bare face and her daughter already asleep in her arms, Hermione's mind was made up. Maybe this wasn't such a mistake after all; maybe it was a good thing Fred had found her. And in the moment, Hermione finally couldn't see any harm in letting Rose meet the rest of her Family.

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><p><strong>Please review!<strong>


	7. My Eyes Are Damp

**Here's another update to make up for how lousy and distracted I've been recently. But I keep getting idea's for one-shots and I write them before I forget them and then I completely forget my others stories. **

**But I am not going to abandon this story. EVER! the same for all my others if you read them too. **

**Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter or the characters within it, nor do I own this song. I only own this plot, and maybe one or two characters of my own making. **

**Please review!**

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><p><em>"And my eyes are damp from the words you left"<em>

_Daughter, Youth._

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><p>It was Friday again, and that meant one thing for Hermione Granger. It was her day of freedom. It may have seemed strange to some people to see a, quite frankly, beautiful twenty-four year old woman sat alone in a quiet, unpopular bar, but Hermione Granger was no longer one to follow a norm.<p>

She was still young, she'd grown up far too quickly and now her life was sifting through her fingers. She was a war hero, a single mother to a fast growing child and working in a fairly unimpressive book shop. It was fair to say her life hadn't gone as she had planned.

She could have worked at the ministry, spent her time gaining rights for house-elves and other magical creatures, she could have met a nice, smart man and dated, and she could have married at a reasonable age and had children who she could easily support. She could have had a life, a proper, ordinary life.

But now, as she looked down onto the rippling surface of her drink swirling in the glass, she realised she wouldn't have changed it for the world. Sure she was divorced and living in a flat shared with a man who had been a criminal, but she had the most beautiful little girl she could ever have asked for. She had friends she'd never even realised she had and she was still alive.

Still, growing up quickly had it's downsides. The things Hermione saw as she grew up, the pain and the agony and the death, it all added up. She could hide it away, put on a brave face when others were looking, but it was still there, just bubbling away under the surface.

Without this release, without this moment of sanctuary where she could let it all out, let the images flood her mind and let the memories take hold, just for two or three hours, she'd have fallen apart completely a long time ago.

Of course some things would never change. She always wore sleeves and covered up when she was out in public or with other people, hiding away her battle scars. Not just the lettering on her arm, but also the burns she'd acquired that were too harsh to heal, the cuts too deep to fade away and left over marks from jinxes and cursing that were still visibly there. She couldn't let her daughter see those.

She still awoke sometimes at night, sheathed in sweat, the mad cackling or vicious bangs still ringing in her ears. Sometimes she even woke up and thought she was still there, still fighting in a war when she was barely grown, watching bodies fall, dodging spells and watching as her best friend walked to his death. These were the nights when Draco had to intervene. He'd rush into her room, see her panicked eyes and he'd just hold her to him, whispering calming words in her ear and rocking her until she fell back to sleep once again, knowing that she'd always do the same for him.

It had been an hour already, and Hermione had made her way through only one drink, her second one still clasped in her hands as she gently tipped the glass, watching the amber liquid sloshing against the sides.

There was too much on her mind now, not just of her past, but of her future too. Should she leave the calm serenity of her adequate life plunge herself back into the family she'd left behind, or should she run, run away and never look back again.

Just as she moved to take a sip of her drink, she saw movement in the corner of her eye as someone sat on the bar stool beside her. Hermione didn't bother to look over at who it was, there was no point, she already knew.

She could see the red hair in the corner of her eye, and the way the man slouched over the bar so casually, like he came here everyday.

"So you weren't joking when you said you came here every Friday." Fred said conversationally, but still Hermione didn't look around, just nodded her assent. "You fancy a drink?" he asked and Hermione held up her still full glass.

"I'm all set, thank you though." She added and wanted to wince at the politeness in her voice.

"Oh, I should have seen that." Fred said added awkwardly, before the two of them lapsed into a very uncomfortable silence.

Fred was drumming his fingers on the bar, receiving him questioning looks from the barman as Hermione continued to look anywhere but at him.

"Still setting fire to your insides then?" Fred asked, and Hermione could feel the awkwardness emitting off the two of them, the tension so thick it Hermione could almost feel it pressing against her skin.

"Like I've already said, it's fun." Hermione replied, taking a rather unnecessarily deep swig of her drink, feeling as the cold liquid burnt her tongue and throat before leaving a satisfying numbness in its wake.

Hermione, look-" Fred began, but Hermione cut him off swiftly, holding a hand up in front of his face.

"I don't want to hear it, Fred." She said boldly. "I've got enough to think about without you guilt tripping me again."

"I'm not here to guilt trip you, Hermione." Fred said, sounding almost hurt at her words, but Hermione was in no mood to feel sympathy for him.

"Oh really?" she asked. "Then why exactly _are _you here, Fred?"

"To apologise for upsetting you." He replied.

"Upsetting me?" Hermione echoed, abashed by his arrogance, finally pivoting on her stool to look at him with her big brown eyes. "So you're not apologising for what you said, just that fact that what you said upset me. Well I'm sorry Fred, but that's just not enough in my books." Hermione said coldly, turning away from him once more.

"Hermione, I don't understand what you want me to do." Fred said. Clearly his entire plan for this moment wasn't going how he had intended.

"Nothing." Hermione replied, so quiet Fred hardly heard her. "I don't want you to anything at all. In fact I'd much rather you left me alone." She said and took another sip of her drink, trying not to shiver as it slid down her throat.

"You know I'm not going to do that. I'm a Weasley. I'm stubborn." Fred said, leaning slightly towards her, his arms rested on the bar.

"Yes, I have noticed that. I've spent enough of my time with Weasley's to know that most of them aren't happy until they've got what they want."

"Well that's not fair-" Fred began, clearly taking he words as an insult to his family.

"But life doesn't work that way." Hermione said abruptly, cutting Fred off as she retaliated. "I've been stubborn, and I've been patient waiting around for something that I knew, deep down in my heart wasn't ever coming." She said coldly, tears beginning to pool in her eyes as she remembered her time in the tent with Harry, waiting for Ron to come back to her. Or waiting for Ron to come home from work while they were married, just waiting at the bottom of the stairs to see who she believed to be the love of her life walking through the door.

"I've waited for a hero, somebody to come and save me, and they never came. Stubbornness is just a way for people to excuse the fact that what they are waiting for is never coming. I learnt that a long time ago, maybe it's about time you learnt the same lesson." Hermione snapped, grabbing her bag and coat from the floor before Fred could see the tears what were falling down her cheeks.

"Hermione-" Fred began, reaching for her arm but she flinched away, like his touch was fire, or poison, something undesired and offensive. "Hermione, don't do this." He said as she half ran towards the door, making her stop with her back to him, her dark hair falling down her back and her winter clothing still clutched tightly to her chest.

"Somebody has to do something." She said, looking slightly over her shoulder, the dark silhouette of her face outlined in the pale light, illuminating her face just enough to see the tears glistening on her cheeks. "And as usual it's got to be me." She said and then she was gone, disappeared into the darkness like another stranger, just another woman walking alone down the street lamp lit streets of London, unnoticed and forgotten.

"You gunna order anythin'" The man behind the bar said, still polishing his glass with a grubby rag.

"No, I think I got what I came for." He said, already getting up too leave, disappearing into the dark streets in the same way Hermione did, just another figure in the sea of bodies.

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><p>"Why in Merlin's name would I want to do that!" Draco exclaimed from his seat on the sofa, looking up at the witch in front of him with wide eyes, looking at her like she had just sprouted wings. Hermione, was already agitated enough, her already bushy hair wilder than usual from the amount of times she'd ran her fingers through it this morning.<p>

It was Sunday morning, and that meant one thing. Hermione's time was up. She'd already decided that she was going to the burrow, but on one condition – Draco came with her.

"Because, Draco," she snapped, looking down at him like he was a disobedient child, a look that Draco was rather terrified of. "I don't ask you for very much and this day is incredibly important to me, and to Rose. These people are our family, that means they're yours as well."

"Alright, alright, I'll go, but on one condition," He said, rising to his feet with a very unenthusiastic expression. "You never call them my family again." He said and Hermione nodded frantically, throwing her arms around Draco's shoulders.

"Oh, Draco! Thank you, thank you so much!" She squealed before jumping back hastily. "That means I've got just over an hour to get Rose ready, and you need to get dressed too and oh Merlin…" she said but Draco could no longer hear her as she disappeared through the flat. Falling back against the sofa again, his face in his hands, Draco wondered how on earth he had managed to get himself into such a mess.

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><p>The first thing Hermione saw when she tumbled out of the fireplace, Rose in her arms, was an empty living room. The ceiling was low with dark wooden beams, some of which had photographs of smiling red heads looking down at her. The coffee table was invisible beneath sheets of paper and various other things such as mugs and glasses, a half eaten bun and even a child's doll.<p>

There was a large sofa pointed towards the fireplace, a home made quilt slung over the back with mismatched pillows on either end. At one side was a doorway leading off into the kitchen, at the other was a puffy armchair with a crocheted throw over the back, a pair of knitting needles suspended and clicking in mid-air, seeming to be making a scarf.

The room was filled with photographs, some of boys in school uniforms, or of scarlet and gold clad quidditch players, even some of a beautiful red-headed witch in a wedding dress, a handsome, scruffy haired man by her side. The clock on the wall was enlarged now, so many more hands added, each with a persons face and their name engraved onto the spoon. Hermione saw her own name immediately and noticed how it shifted slightly until it pointed at home.

Hermione had only a few seconds of nostalgia until someone else bundled out the fireplace, coughing and spluttering, brushing soot from their clothing and filling the room with the smell of ash.

"Merlin, they could do with cleaning their chimney out a bit." Draco coughed, stopping immediately as his eyes fell upon Hermione. "Hermione," He said, placing his hands on her shoulders "You know you don't have to do this." He said and Hermione could sense the pleading note in his voice, clearly Draco was more anxious about this meeting than Hermione was.

"No, no, its fine." Hermione said dazed. "Could you please take her though." She said, passing Rose over to Draco just as a voice came wafting in from the kitchen.

"Ginny, will you come in here and peel the potatoes. Bill, you and Percy can set the table and for Merlin's sake will somebody put away the-" but Hermione never found out what needed to be put away, because at that moment Molly Weasley had trundled into her living room, her greying ginger hair cut above her shoulders, a scruffy white apron tied around the waist of her dark yellow dress. "Merlin." She said, staring at her Hermione with wide brown eyes, her hand over her heart. Hermione shifted awkwardly on her feet, unsure of what too say in a moment like this. She finally settled with something simple.

"Hello, Mrs Weasley." She said with a awkward smile, but instead of receiving a reply, Mrs Weasley ran across the room, wrapping Hermione in one of tightest, most bone-crushing hugs she'd ever felt.

"Oh, my dear. Hermione, my dear." Mrs Weasley kept repeating over and over, Hermione hugging her back with just as much vigour, fighting a loosing battle to try and keep the tears at bay. The embrace lasted for only a little while longer before Draco cleared his throat. Mrs Weasley, clearly stunned by the thought of someone unknown in her home jumped away from Hermione, her hand going instinctively to the pocket of her apron.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Mrs Weasley." Draco said calmly, the little girl in his arms tightening her grip around his neck. Mrs Weasley eyed him curiously, the protectively maternal look on her face as her scrutinising gaze flitted between the two young adults in the room. She only lowered her wand when she saw the little girl that Draco was currently holding. Returning her wand to the pocket of her apron, Mrs Weasley's hand quickly slapped over her mouth, silent tears beginning to pool in her eyes as she looked at the small red-headed girl.

"Oh, Hermione, she's beautiful." Mrs Weasley gushed, walking absentmindedly towards Draco and the little girl, not seeming to realise she was doing it. Before she could get within an arms reach, a voice sounded from the kitchen, followed by oncoming footsteps.

"Mum, where do you want us to put the- Hermione!" turning on the spot, Hermione came face to face with a man, a few years older than she was herself, with shocking red hair cut neat and short, a pair of horn-rimmed glasses sitting on the bridge of his nose. "Merlin, mum said you were coming. I had my doubts of course, but that fact that your here." Percy said, wrapping Hermione in a very brief hug, clearly still not over his old ways, before he turned and shouted over his shoulder. "Bill! Ginny! Harry! Hermione's here!"

Only a few moments later and the living room was swamped with red-headed witches and wizards, as well as their other halves, each one taking it in turns to hug Hermione and bombard her with questions and exclamations of joy.

"Hermione." Draco said, halting everyone in their tracks as they stared at the former Slytherin.

"It's okay." Hermione said to everyone's scrutinizing gazes as she moved to stand between Draco and the horde of red-headed men and women. "He's with me." She said clearly and everyone seemed to fall back a step.

"I think she wants you." Draco said warily, watching each of the red-headed men and women like a rabbit surrounded by hungry dogs. Taking a deep breath Hermione turned around and reached out for her squirming daughter.

"Come on Rose, there we go." She said sitting the little girl on her hip, watching as her face retreated slightly into her scarf. "Rose, this is your Grandmother." She said, pointing gently towards Mrs Weasley who, once again, covered her mouth to silence her sobs. "And all of these people, they're your Aunts and Uncles. Are you going to say hello?" Hermione asked and a chorus of laughs filled the room when Rose hid her face in Hermione's neck.

"What 'eez going on out 'ere?" said a soft, melodic voice from the doorway. Turning around, Hermione saw the beautiful face of Fleur, her silvery blonde hair pulled back into a high ponytail. "'Ermione! Eet eez great to see you again!" she said moving to embrace Hermione, but seeming to think better of it when she saw the shy Rose. "Oh! She eez beautiful!" Fleur exclaimed, and Rose slowly peeped out and looked a Fleur, seeming to be as taken with Fleur as everyone else always was, a sudden comfort falling over the little girl. "May I?" she asked her arms already outstretched. Rose, not seeming to be protesting, allowed herself to be passed over to the beautiful witch who then began cooing over like any other woman seemed to.

"Took hours for her to let me do that." Ginny said in the corner, crossing her arms grumpily and she glowered at the part Veela witch, old rivalries seeming to reignite.

"Yeah, but you're not exactly as much of a looker, are you sis?" said a perky voice, making Ginny scowl. Harry put his arm around her shoulder kissing his wife delicately on the forehead, stopping her from saying anything she'd later regret. "It's nice to see you again, Hermione." George said, but kept his distance slightly, staying near the fireplace that him and Angelina had just stepped out of, unnoticed.

"George, its fine." Hermione said, looking at the one-eared man with a soft smile on her face. "I've forgiven you." She said and George beamed.

"Great to see you, Hermione." Angelina said, her long dark hair falling around her shoulders in soft waves. Clearly Angelina had stopped braiding her hair a long time ago.

"'Ermione?" Fleur said, still smiling down at the little girl in her arms. "May I take 'er to see zee others?" she asked and Hermione nodded.

"Of course, I'll join you." She said, quickly making a beeline for the door. "Draco, do you want to come too?" she asked and Draco, who was still getting dark looks from some of the occupants of the room, gave her a brief nod before following the two women out.

Hermione followed Fleur up the stairs and into the bedroom she remembered to be Bill's, only now it was transformed. Clearly since none of the Weasley children lived at home, the bedrooms were free to become different spaces. Bills room seemed to have become a children's nursery.

The walls were a light yellow, the carpet a slightly faded cream. The white netted curtains across the window were open, showing the pale blue sky as a few birds flittered passed. Under this window were two cots, both of them rocking gently back and forth in a soft rhythm, like there was a careful hand rocking the child to sleep.

There was a toy box in one corner, the contents having been raided and left spewed all over the floor, a small bookshelf fit to bursting sat next to a plush armchair.

On the floor sat a little girl dressed in a beautiful pink dress who was playing happily with a doll, singly quietly and beautifully to herself as she rocked the doll like a baby. The girl had silver blonde hair that fell perfectly straight to her waist, a pink bow tied perfectly in place.

"Victoire, this is Rose. She eez you're cousin." She said, looking questioningly back at Hermione who nodded her agreement. "Where 'av zee boys gone?" Fleur asked, pacing Rose down on the Fleur.

Victoire who was looking at each of the new occupants with beautiful blue eyes stopped singing immediately, her face pale in the day lit room.

"They went to play outside." Victoire said, standing up slightly and walking over to Rose who was holding onto Hermione's jeans shyly. It was strange to see a girl who looked so much like her mother, talk with the blunt English accent of her father, and not the lofting French one Hermione had been expecting. "I'm Victoire." She said, speaking now to Rose. "Would you like to play with me?" she said, pointing to the extra dolls lying on the floor. Rose's face lit up and she nodded frantically at the little girl.

"Zey are so cute when zey are young." Fleur said, looking lovingly at the two girls playing happily on the floor, crossed legged opposite one another. "Oh, 'ow rude of me. I am Fleur, who are you?" she said, causing Hermione to look around at Draco, forgotten he had joined them.

"I'm Draco." He said in a choked voice, clearly not having expected to see Fleur when he arrived. "Draco Malfoy."

Fleur, who was about to raise her hand to shake Draco's, froze.

"I 'av 'eard about zee Malfoy's." She said, her beautiful eyes narrowed at Draco. "Zey were zee Dark Lords followers, no?" she said and Draco, Hermione thought, paled.

"They were, yes." He said, swallowing the lump in his throat with what looked to be great difficulty. "And they are paying for what they did to the world. I'm not like them." He said, half pleadingly. Hermione had known from the moment the two of them had re-met that Draco's family was a sore spot, for him to talk about them at all was a miracle. Hermione of course had tried to make him open up, but the subject was always such a grey area, at the mention of either his mother or his father he would immediately change the subject, or give a brief dismissal, never delving into the story.

Fleur looked at Hermione quickly, seeming to be asking for confirmation.

"He's right, Fleur." She said to the older witch. "He's nothing like them, he's a Goodman." Fleur, seeming to trust Hermione words (Something that touched Hermione) then proceeded to shake Draco's hand.

"Well, if 'Ermione trusts you, then I do too." Fleur said boldly. "Now I said I would take zee leetle one's down for their food. 'Ermione, would you mind carrying Albus, I only have two 'ands." She said with a kind smile.

"Oh, yeah, of course." Hermione said. With a swish of her wand the recently discarded toys were back in the box, something that made Rose clap her hands excitedly. Crossing the room quickly, Hermione peered down into the twos cots, each of which had a small child inside who had their eyes wide open.

One the left was what Hermione could tell to be a little girl who had a beautiful, cherubic face with wispy tufts of silvery blonde hair and deep blue eyes, Hermione could easily tell this was another child of Bill and Fleur. In the right cot sat what Hermione could only describe as a smaller version of Harry with spiking black hair and wide green eyes filled with excitement.

As carefully as she could, Hermione leant into the gently rocking wooden crib and lifted out the small boy who shrieked with delight and began tugging at Hermione's curls.

"Hello Albus." Hermione said, wincing as she began to leave the room. She heard a very distinctive intake of breath from the doorway where Draco was stood, arms crossed and rigid as a board, looking down at the boy in Hermione's arms. "What's the matter, Draco?" she asked, barely noticing as Fleur stood by her side, the little girl cradled in her arms, both of them emitting a faint, silvery glow.

"He named his son Albus." Draco said his voice suddenly very tight, his eyes glassy as he looked at the little boy. "He named his child after Dumbledore."

"Draco-" Hermione began, but Draco had turned on his heel and stalked away. Hermione could hear his footsteps echoing down the stairs and could also hear some people shouting after him.

"What was all zat about?" Fleur asked, looking at the spot Draco had just vacated.

"It's a long story." Hermione said with a sigh. "Who's this little angel then?" she asked, looking down at the baby the Fleur was holding.

"Oh, of course, you 'ave been away. Zees is my second daughter, 'er name is Dominique, a beautiful name for a beautiful girl." She said proudly and Hermione laughed kindly.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs Ginny was waiting for her, looking up at Hermione with a curious look on her face.

"There's my little troublemaker." Ginny said, taking the baby from a grateful Hermione.

"Ginny, I am not sure where your sons 'ave gotten to." Fleur said, and Ginny laughed.

"Off playing in the woods I imagine." She said, rolling her eyes. "Listen, Hermione, I just saw Draco storming out of here, is he okay?" she asked and Hermione rubbed her face with her hands, seeming only now to realise how tired she truly was. "He seemed a little, dare I say, upset."

"'E is a Malfoy," Fleur said rather pompously making both Hermione and Ginny share a smile, each of them remembering how they would laugh about Fleur's superiority behind closed doors. "I expect zey are all a leetle un'inged." She said before gliding past the two friends and into the kitchen where Mrs Weasley's bundling around in a desperate attempt to get the lunch ready.

"She hasn't changed much." Hermione said with a laugh, one that Ginny joined in quickly.

"Yeah, tell me about it." Ginny said, theatrically rolling her eyes "But I'm so used to it now that the thought of her being, I don't know, ordinary is terrifying. Anyway, what's up with Malfoy? Is he alright?" Ginny asked, and Hermione thought she heard genuine concern in the younger witch's voice.

"He found out that you called your son Albus and I think it brought back some unwanted memories." Hermione said and Ginny nodded in understanding, looking out towards the woods, knowing how likely it was the Draco had disappeared to the pond, the place that Hermione would often sit to think when the war was on, just letting her thoughts run wild as she swished her feet around in the cold water.

"Ginny! Fred's here!" shouted a voice and Hermione cringed. The last she had seen of Fred it was a shocked look from a bar stool as she shouted at him the unfairness of life while trying to hold back tears. Somehow she didn't see how this could possibly be an enjoyable experience.

"Come on, everyone probably wants to continue harassing you now Rose isn't with you." Ginny said with a wink and Hermione winced before following the feisty witch back through to the living room where Mrs Weasley was fussing over Fred's dishevelled appearance.

His scarf was knotted lazily around his neck, his dark blue coat not even buttoned up. His red hair was mussed from either wind or sleep, Hermione didn't know, and tiny specks of soot flecked his hair, clothing and skin. It was a relief to see that he was alone, not seeming to have brought Katie with him to this rendezvous. Hermione was only allowed a brief moment of respite before Fred's head turned, his smiling blue eyes scanning the room for a second before they fell upon her, the smile slipping from his face, replaced instead by a mask of shock.

"'Mione?" he said, clearly abashed by her presence in the Burrow.

"I know!" Mrs Weasley half screamed, clapping her hands together excitedly. "The family's back together again." She said smiling widely at Hermione who managed to force a grin back, because in truth, the family wasn't together again. There was still the issue with Ron, But Harry had said himself that he rarely appeared at these weekend meetings, why should today be any different. Surely fate didn't hate Hermione that much. "Well, now that everybody's here, lets eat." She said before barrelling out of the room to the kitchen, everyone else following suit, all expect Fred and Hermione who were still looking at one another, a million thoughts passing through their minds.

"You came then?" Fred asked, shifting his feet awkwardly, his hands in his pockets. He was looking pointedly towards the floor, not seeming to want to catch her eye. Clearly the previous Friday in the bar was a memory still clear in both of their minds.

"I knew I couldn't keep away for long." She said, smiling half heartedly at him when he looked at her. "No Katie?" she asked conversationally, not really wanting to know but feeling too polite not to ask.

"Nah, she had to work. Strange hours training to be a quidditch player." He said with a slight laugh, one Hermione realised, was very forced. "Is Rose with you?" he asked her, finally looking at her, taking in her appearance, from her wild, curly hair to her denim jacket with the cuffs rolled to just above her wrists, to her ripped and frayed jeans. All in all, Fred thought she looked beautiful, but then again, she usually did.

"She's up playing with Victoire." Hermione replied, feeling the tension pressing against her like a pair of strong arms suffocating her.

"That's good to hear." He said and the two lapsed into silence. It didn't last long, mostly due to the fact that Fred had crossed the room in three quick strides and wrapped Hermione into a hug, one she gratefully returned. "I'm sorry for what I said to you, 'Mione." Fred whispered, his mouth so close to her ear it gave her shivers. "I just wanted to you to come back."

"I'm not going anywhere." She said back, her arms around his neck as she breathed in his warm, cinnamon scent. Their embrace was quickly parted when Harry appeared in the doorway.

"Come one you two, lunch is on the table." He said, clearly oblivious to the atmosphere in the room before he disappeared again.

"Families." Fred said with a laugh before leaving for the kitchen, Hermione following after with a sweet smile on her face.

"Families." She replied, walking into the dinning room

* * *

><p>Lunch that afternoon was a quiet, yet slightly chaotic affair. The adults all ate and drank with Draco still no where to be seen, Rose sat next to Victoire who ate as elegantly as she did everything else. Rose however, seemed to be making a big show of getting more food on her clothes than in her mouth, meaning Hermione was having to mop her face every few minutes, much to the amusement of Fred and the other adults around the table.<p>

Once all the food was finished, the plates clean, and the children were running around in garden wearing their hats and scarves, Hermione joined Ginny, Fleur and Angelina in the kitchen to wash up the many dishes while Mrs Weasley tended to the infants in Bill's old room.

"So, Ginny," Angelina said, flicking her wand so a pile of plates fell into the sink with a splash. "How's, you know, being a mother?" she asked conversationally, but Hermione could hear the edgy turn in her voice.

"Tiring, there's a lot of late nights and early mornings. Not to mention the screaming." She said, flourishing her wand until the dishes were dry while Hermione levitated them into their cupboards. "Why'd you ask? Having thoughts about parenthood?" Ginny said, bashing her hip against Angelina's who smiled in return, but Hermione could see how forced it was. Angelina's face had emptied of colour as she dried her hands on the nearest tea towel.

"I'm going to go and – um – pee." She said briskly before disappearing from the room, leaving a suspicious looking Ginny in her wake.

"Something's not right there." She said, her eyebrows creased together in thought. Before Hermione could respond, however, the back door burst open and in walked a tall, slim figure with platinum blonde hair, his whole body racked with shivers from the cold.

"Draco!" Hermione half squealed, abandoning the plate she was about to put into a cupboard and throwing herself towards the man standing in the open doorway, his coat and other winter clothing discarded, leaving him in nothing but his grey shirt and black jeans. "Merlin's beard! You're freezing!" she exclaimed, beginning to drag him further into the kitchen, shutting the door quickly behind him. "Come in by the fire and warm up." She said as she dragged an almost unresponsive Draco into the living room, shoving him gently onto the sofa where he sat, staring at the empty fireplace.

"I don't belong here Hermione." Draco said, looking past her and into the empty grate. "I really don't belong here."

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked, trying to keep all traces of hysteria from her voice. "You're as welcome here as I am." She said rather unconvincingly.

"Stop it." He said, but not unkindly. "You're a smart girl, Hermione, and you know as well as I do that nobody wants me here."

"I want you here." She said, kneeling in front of him, her hands resting reassuringly on Draco's knees as he tapped an agitated rhythm with his fingers. "Look, I know this is hard for you, but please," she said, pointing her wand at the fireplace, bright orange flames springing to life immediately. "you can't keep doing this to yourself."

"Doing what? Speaking the truth?" he asked, his grey eyes finally looking at Hermione, the pink of his cheeks receding slightly. "Look at me Hermione. I'm a criminal. A monster. I don't belong here, with a family and friends, I should be alone, I should have to live with the things I've done, I deserve to be punished."

"Stop it now!" Hermione burst out, looking at him with an angry glint in her eyes, smacking his leg just enough to make him wince. "You keep doing this, you keep degrading yourself to being what everyone else labels you as, but you're not those things. I know that, hell, even Rose knows that and she hasn't even started school."

Hermione stood up, grabbing Draco's freezing cold hands and pulling him up with her. "Now you look at me Draco Malfoy, and you listen very carefully to what it is I'm saying, because I'm not going to say it to you again. You are an excellent person, you did horrific things in your past, and all to keep your family alive, how is that shameful? Do you honestly think we wouldn't have done the same thing in your situation? You were still just a boy, but look at you now. You're all grown up, you've got a great job and people who care about you and you've been as good as a father to Rose ever since I found you. How could you possibly say you were a monster?"

"You know what, Hermione?" Draco asked, looking down at her, his eyes glassy, like he was fighting an internal battle. "I honestly don't know where I would be without you."

"Probably rotting away in that alley." She said with a laugh poking him in the ribs playfully.

"Oh, look who's found her sense of humour." Draco said with a smirk before wrapping his arms around her shoulders, holding her close as he rested his chin upon her head, her arms wrapping around his torso. "But I still feel like I should thank you."

"You don't need to thank me, Draco." She said into his chest, feeling his heart beating against her cheek. "You've done as much for me as I have for you."

Before either of them could utter another word, or even pull away from one another there a resounding pop heard from the garden, followed by the aggravating giggle that Hermione hadn't heard in a very long time.

Jumping away from Draco, Hermione began feverously trying to straighten her clothes, her hair, anything at all, while Draco looked at her with a concerned expression on his face.

"Hermione, what's-" but before he could finish, the front door opened and in walked a tall, lanky redheaded man, a giggling blonde on his arm, both of whom were smiling at one another. Everything slowed down, Ron turned, his blue eyes taking in the scene before him, the smile slipping instantly from his face, replaced by a harsh sneer.

Hermione held her breath, watching Ron with a strong pose, though her knee's felt like they were going to buckle from underneath her. This was the man who'd accused her of adultery, who'd cast out, not only her, but her daughter too, why was he the one wearing such a look of rage? And why was she the one standing with Draco's hand on her back to support her? Why in Merlin's name was this so backwards.

Lavender was looking up at Ron, whispering soothing words in his ear, shooting a disgusted look at Hermione every few seconds.

Hermione opened her mouth to talk, praying to anyone that her voice came out strong and not as feeble as she was feeling, but before she could utter a single sentence, Ron burst out:

"What the fuck are you doing here!"

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry at how poorly I have written Fleur's accent, but I always find it weird when it's not there. <strong>

**Please review!**


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